Escape
by nekonikki08
Summary: AU. He broke free; he finally escaped. He ran, only to have fate mess with him. He couldn't believe his luck. It didn't matter. All he knew, was that he needed to run, and run fast. Eventual slash. Rated T for now, rating may go up.
1. Escape

**A/N: So…I have writer's block for my other fic, and then this came to mind, so … I figured… I'd post both and update them when I can. Lol I definitely haven't stopped my other fic, but if I get enough interest, I'll continue this one too. If not, I don't mind just focusing on the other one.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. **

Rain was pouring coldly and harshly onto his skin. He didn't care. The only thing on his mind was one thing: run. He ran as fast as his legs could go. His heart thundered in his chest. His breath was coming out in short pants, causing his lungs to burn. He didn't care, he _couldn't_. He ran and ran with no destination in mind. All he knew is that he had to get away and _fast_. It was dark out, so dark. He could barely see where he was running. He almost tripped a few times, but quickly resumed his running. He jumped over bushes that were in his way, used his hand to redirect him when he almost slammed into a tree. He found feel the cuts on his body, the ones that bled, and he couldn't help but wonder how many cracked ribs he had. His legs were almost giving out on him, but he fought the pain. He wasn't safe. Not yet. He didn't know if he ever would be.

He didn't even stop to catch his breath; he didn't think he would get the chance. He wasn't far enough! He had to go _farther_! He picked up speed; ignoring the cries of protest from his legs. What did it matter if his body ached, he wondered? When hadn't it? He couldn't remember. All he knew was that he had to keep going until he could be safe for at least ten minutes. All he needed was ten minutes so he could examine his injuries and determine how much farther he could get before his body gave out on him. He felt dizzy and nauseous, but what did that matter? He kept going.

He climbed over a fence and continued his sprint. From the corner of his eyes he could see a blinding light heading towards him and fast. Before he could react, a solid object coming from the light hit his body with a force that knocked the very wind out of him. He rolled in pain and skidded to a halt. His mind swam as he tried to move. He groaned in pain, lights flickering in his vision when he forced his eyes open. Suddenly, he felt warm hands on his body, rolling him onto his back and a voice he did not recognize.

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright? My driver didn't see you. What's your name, son?"

He glanced up to see a man hovering over him. He couldn't make out any features, his vision was still blurry. His eyes widened in fear. Struggling, he tried to stand up, but the man kept a firm and tender grip on him.

"Stop struggling. You look seriously injured; come with me. There is a hospital close by. Let me help you."

He cried out in pain as the man touched a tender spot on his side. The man immediately apologized and tried to help him up. No. He had to break free. There wasn't much strength left within his body, but he didn't care. He mustered up all he could and shoved himself away from the man, who cried out after him as he ran for his life. He needed to get away, _away, away, away…_

The floor beneath him was muddy, his feet digging in deeply as he ran. He scowled; hating whatever it was that hit him. It seemed to have caused him to slow down. He once again saw spots before his eyes, causing him to unexpectedly trip. He fell onto the muddy track. He spat out the mud that was in his mouth and groaned. He tried to stand up once more, but lost consciousness as he heard a horn honk.

**A/N: It's definitely not much, but it's a start. I think. o_o Damn pompous pep fueling my obsession . lol**


	2. Awake

**An: I really have no idea where I'm going with this, but here's the second chapter. I think a few people are interested, so I'll post this and see if there's any reactions haha. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. I am merely having fun with their characters lol **

The first thing he noticed was the smell. It didn't smell terrible; just foreign, yet somehow still familiar? He was used to the smell of blood, dirt, and burned metal. This smell, however, he couldn't put a name to it. He groaned lightly. He felt tied, which was normal, but it felt off. He slowly opened his eyes, flinching when bright lights stung them. After everything stopped spinning, he looked around. He was somewhere surrounded by white walls, and his mouth was being covered by something. Whatever it was, it was helping him breathe. He looked to his right, noticing strange equipment. When he searched his memory for it, he realized he was in a hospital. How? His heart began to accelerate. Where was he? How did he get here? And why was he being helped?

"Ah, you're awake! You have no idea how relieved I am to see this. You gave me quite a scare. The doctor was afraid you would slip into a comma, considering all the injuries you have."

He turned his head towards the voice. A man with silver hair wearing a business suit walked to the right side of his bed, hovering slightly. A calm and gentle smile on his face, which didn't help him feel any better. His heart pounded painfully. The man looked at the machine and frowned, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. It didn't give him any comfort at all.

"Calm down, young man. I'm not going to hurt you." He looked guilty. "Well, not again at least."

He didn't even think about what that meant. He didn't trust this man. All he knew was pain. This was clearly a lie. He tried to sit up so he can unhook himself from the machines and run away, but the man pinned him down gently.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The strange man said calmly, but firmly. "You are barely alive as it is. You need to lie down and take it easy. You were quite a mess when I brought you here, and still are. Why don't we get ourselves settled? I believe introductions are in order. My name is Vlad Masters. You are…?"

He stared at the man, his body shaking violently. What did this man want? He had nothing to offer. Unless…Unless he knew who he was and was trying to take him back to—no! No, after 4 years, he finally escaped, and with a chance this time! He couldn't go back; _wouldn't_! Desperate, he looked around for something to stab himself with, but to his dismay, found nothing. eHe once again struggled as he tried to pry the man off of him. He let out a cry of pain as he tried to kick his legs, which were aching.

"Calm down! I told you I won't hurt you!"

He breathed harshly as his body gave out, too weak to continue its attempt to break free. The room was spinning again. He head fell back to a fluffy and comfortable pillow as he tried to steady his breathing and rapidly beating heart. The man smiled warily.

"There, that's better. Do you even know your name? Can you speak at all?"

It was just a name. Would it really hurt to give to the man? It wasn't as if there was anything he could do. His body was too weak; he couldn't make a run for it even if he wanted to. The bracelet on his left ankle prevented him from truly escaping as well. He sighed. He looked up at the silver haired man, named Vlad, and stared into his cobalt blue eyes. After much debate, he finally sighed and croaked out,

"Danny."

The man smiled in satisfaction, as if he had just won a prize. Danny felt his heart grip with fear. "Daniel." Vlad whispered. "And your last name?" Danny glared balefully at him. Vlad chuckled. "Well it's a start. You'll have to excuse me. I should alert the doctor you are awake now. You've been asleep for almost a week now." His smile slipped off and a frown now marred the man's features. "You were more injured than we initially thought. Most of it was internal."

Danny said nothing. The man walked away and left the room. A few minutes later, a doctor and several nurses came rushing in. They checked on him, asked him questions, which he did not respond to. He saw Vlad's disappointed frown when he refused to speak, but couldn't find within himself to care. A week. He had lost himself a week. Another thought occurred to him. He had been out for a week, and _they_ haven't found him? How strange. He never made it this far for this long, not counting that one time, and he was usually conscious when he tried. How ironic. The doctor and nurses ran a few more tests on him. They spoke of some procedures they would have to do to help him. He didn't care. The moment he could move, he would disappear.

He didn't remember when he lost consciousness, or how long it had been. When he reopened his eyes, he saw Vlad sitting on a chair beside him, staring at him. He smiled faintly when Danny looked at him.

"Ah, Daniel. Awake again. How are you feeling?"

Danny didn't respond. He felt better. He tried moving his arms, and was glad to notice they were only sore. His legs were also sore and in a bit more pain than his arms, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He heard Vlad sigh. He thought about making a run for it now but the man seemed to know what he was thinking.

"Please don't make me pin you down again. Just stay still, boy. You are hardly in the condition where you can just get up and move whenever you want. The doctors said you're on your way to a speedy recovery; just let them do their jobs. You'll probably be out within the next few days."

Danny ceased testing out his limbs. He glared hatefully at Vlad. The man was seriously getting on his nerves. What was he doing here anyway? It wasn't as if he had any relations or obligations to Danny, so why was he sitting there? He didn't _have_ a few days. He was lucky he hadn't gotten caught yet and needed to keep moving. Who knows how long until he would be found and captured? He'd return to that nightmare and he just didn't think his sanity would make it.

"Tell me Daniel, how old are you?"

Vlad stared expectantly at Danny as he waited for his response. Danny did not stop glaring at the man, but he didn't seem intimidated. Danny wondered if the man would go away if he just ignored him. The man crossed his arms and raised a brow, apparently knowing Danny's intentions.

"I have all day." He drawled.

Danny flinched. Groaning, he tried to recall his age. "18, I think."

"You think?" Vlad didn't seem pleased. "Where are your parents?"

Danny flinched and didn't respond. His heart gripped tightly and he nearly double over from the intensity of the pain. Vlad, seeing this was not an easy subject, quickly asked a different question. "Where are you from?"

Danny tried to remember where he was from. He shrugged, giving up on trying to remember. What was the point? His past didn't matter.

"Do you know where you are, besides being in a hospital? Do you know what state this is?"

Danny shrugged. Did it really matter? He didn't know where he was, the only thing he was sure of was that it was not far enough.

Vlad eyed him before asking, "Do you have anyone we can contact? Friends, family members, anything?"

Danny let out a chilling laugh and then started to cough. Maybe laughing hadn't been the best idea, but he couldn't have helped it. Vlad's expression changed to impassive. Friends? Family members? What a joke. This man was wasting his time. Vlad tried again.

"What is that bracelet on your ankle? It looks like a security lock."

Danny said nothing. Vlad stopped questioning him, for now, at least. The next three days were hell for Danny. He would have to submit to whatever the doctor and nurses asked him to and swallow pills left and right. Not only that, Vlad was there every day. He would sometimes disappear for a couple of hours but would stay by Danny's side when he returned. He would try talking to him, but Danny would just ignore the man. On the fourth day of his stay at the hospital while he was conscious, his body felt much better. They fed him and gave him nutrients for his body to recover. When he went to the bathroom, he noticed for the very first time in a long time that he couldn't see his ribs. His face had filled with the weight he gained. He almost looked like a healthy young man. They had bathed him, getting rid of all the dirt and grime on his skin. There was nothing they could do about the scars decorating his body, however.

He sat up from his bed and looked at Vlad, who was reading a book. Danny scoffed at him. What an odd man. Well, he suppose he could talk him. He hadn't turned him in to _them_ so he guessed he was safe, for now. By noon, he would run away and never see this man again.

"Why are you here?" He asked the question that had been burning in his mind ever since he had woke up and saw Vlad.

Vlad startled before calmly dog tagging his page and putting his book aside. He smirked at Danny. "Finally talking to me?" he teased, laughing when Danny growled. "Well, why else would I be? I had to be sure you would recover. My limo did hit you and although you were already injured when it did, it still did a number on you."

Danny looked away. He had dealt with much more pain than what he experienced, so there was no reason for the man to be there. "I can't pay you back." He said quietly.

"I would never demand you to." Vlad said sincerely. "I only ask that you tell me how to help you."

"You can't help me."

"I can if you let me try."

Danny huffed. "Why would you want to help me? I can't give you anything." He had nothing. Everything he had…. Was gone.

Vlad sighed, clearly losing patience with the young man. "I told you before, Daniel, I do not expect anything from you, I-"

"Yes you do." Danny hissed angrily. Vlad was taken aback by Danny's change of demeanor. "No one, _no one_ does anything unless there's something in it for them! You're no different, you're nothing special." Danny spat angrily, his heart racing from the adrenaline rush. He was angry. He was finally feeling better and he just wanted to be _out_. He needed to go and fast; this man was preventing him from doing so.

Vlad quieted. He merely stared at Danny for what seemed like forever. Danny could no longer take the calculating glare and looked away towards the window. It was so close. All he had to do was unhook the IVs that were on him, open the window and make a sprint for it and he'll be gone. His body felt great for the first time in many, many, years. He had to take advantage. He never had it before.

Danny waited impatiently for three hours. Finally, Vlad stood up and said he would go get lunch for them. Danny smirked. He finally had his chance. Once he was sure Vlad was a good distance away from his door, Danny sprang into action. He unhooked everything that was on him and ran towards the dresser there. He opened it and saw he had a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He didn't question it. He simply ripped out of the gown and changed clothes before running to the window. He heard an alarm go off, but ignored it. With all his might, he lifted the window and looked down. Perfect. He was on the second floor; he could make the jump if he landed right. Without thinking about it, he jumped, rolling when his feet hit the ground, effectively dampening the impact.

He ran as fast as he could. It was much faster than the night he finally broke out. Since it was daylight, he could see where he was running. He still didn't know where he was but he didn't care. He would figure it out eventually. He just had to put a good distance from Vlad and _them_, and then he would be clear. He mentally cursed. The ankle bracelet a painful reminder of why he couldn't escape the way he truly wanted to. He had gone at least six blocks when he heard a voice.

"HEY! SLOW DOWN, KID! GET BACK HERE!"

Danny ran faster and made turns whenever he could to lose whoever was following him. He panted as he made a rather quick left and ran down the block. He hadn't dared look back to see who it was that was following him. Suddenly, he felt arms wrap around his waist and he was tackled down.

"I got him, I got him!" a man shouted above Danny. Danny growled, kicking and punching at the body on top of him. The man didn't budge. "Oof—quit that!" the man shouted, but Danny paid no heed. He needed to break free! But then he was surrounded; six different men pinned him down. He tried so hard to fight them off, but they over powered him. Something poked at his skin and that was all he remembered before he lost consciousness.

**AN: Sorry i Know it doesn't seem like much, I'll try better haha. Hope you guys enjoyed regardless. **


	3. Welcome Home

**AN: So here's the third chapter. Thanks again to all those who reviewed and I sincerely hope you continue to enjoy my fic. **

Danny woke up to voices. He steadied his breathing and pretended to be asleep as he focused on them.

"Was he injured?" He instantly recognized Vlad's voice.

"He's fine. He stressed some parts of his body that had not recovered but it could have been worse. He is, however, unstable, and needs someone to stay with. Does he have any family?" Ah, his doctor. Danny wanted to growl. If it hadn't been for those people chasing him and knocking him down, he wouldn't have stressed his body so much.

"Not that I know of and he hasn't spoken of them. I tried to get him to talk about it, but it seemed to…pain him."

"Well we can't just let him back out on his own."

"Of course not! I can take him in."

There was a pause, as if the doctor hesitated. "Are you sure, Mr. Masters? I'm sure we can find someone who would be willing to take the boy in for a bit. We have plenty of people on staff."

"No. I have the means to support him. I'll be doing it."

"Very well. If you're sure, that is."

"Yes." Vlad sounded irritated. "When can he be taken home?"

"Today. We finished all our tests. He needs _rest; a_t least for a few more days before he decides to run again."

"My home will offer the best tranquility for him."

"I have no doubt about that, Mr. Masters. Now, we'll have to go over some things for Danny…"

The voices trailed off and Danny found himself alone in the room. He slowly opened his eyes. He sighed, disheartened as he realized he had lost his chance to escape. How had they caught up with him? Trying to run again would just be foolish. There was no way, however, that he would be staying with Vlad. If need be, he would wait until midnight to try again and he would be more cautious of how he escaped.

Half an hour later, Vlad came back into his room. Danny stared into his eyes, surprised to see the hesitant look the man was giving him. It was as if he was approaching a wild animal. Well, he might as well be one, with the way _they _had treated him.

"Daniel, the doctors said you can get out of the hospital today." Danny didn't respond, so Vlad continued. "But, seeing as you don't exactly have anyone to take you in and I don't think you have a home since you don't even know what state you're in, we thought it would be best if you stayed with me."

"No." Danny replied quickly.

Vlad sighed. "Now Daniel, be reasonable. Where would you go?"

"I don't care." Danny glared at the man. "Away from here. I don't need your charity."

"It isn't charity my boy. Stop being stubborn and just accept my help. You're receiving it whether you want to or not."

"Why?" Danny shouted, losing patience. "What do you want? Why are you helping me? Just leave me alone! Can't you see? I don't want to be anywhere near you! Just let me go!" he panted, having lost control his temper. His body shook with rage. He looked at the window again and was upset to note that it was now boarded up.

Vlad slowly made his way towards Danny, who flinched when the man got too close for his wondered if Vlad would strike him for being difficult. Probably. He closed his eyes when he saw Vlad's hand raise and go towards him. He waited for impact. He was surprised, however, when he felt Vlad's hand rest on his shoulder. His eyes shot open and he looked up at the man, who was frowning slightly at him.

"Just give me a week. One week to be sure that you're completely healed and then you can go wherever you want."

"I don't have a week!" he clenched his teeth. "Don't you understand? I-I have to go…"

"Why Daniel?"

Danny smacked the man's hand away. Vlad didn't react to the violent gesture, much to Danny's surprise. Danny huffed and looked away from those cobalt eyes. "I just have to go." He was angry. He didn't need to explain himself to this man or anyone. He said he needed to go so that was just it! Why couldn't they just leave it at that? Danny felt his frustrations rising to an unbearable point.

"Okay, well, tell me where you have to go. I can at least take you there."

"I-I…I don't know where…" He bit his lower lip as tears glistened in his eyes. He shut them, begging for the tears not to fall. He hated how weak he felt, he didn't want anyone to see it. _Especially_ not Vlad.

"Just stay with me, Daniel, and we can figure it out together."

"No…" He protested weakly. He knew this was a pointless argument. No matter what, Vlad would take him to his home. Danny was sure of it. His body was still too weak to really put up much of a fight.

"I won't ask anything of you, I promise. Just let me take care of you. One week Daniel, that's all I ask."

Danny said nothing, finally giving up. Taking that as a sign, Vlad picked up his cell phone and called for his limo. The next few minutes were spent going over what medications Danny would need to take for the next few days and being told that he needed to rest. He felt like a walking zombie as he robotically followed after Vlad and climbed into the limo, Vlad sliding in beside him. The car ride was silent as they drove to their destination. Danny stared out the window, watching the scenery change before his eyes. He sighed. It was just a matter of time before he was caught, but he had to try. He had to escape and soon.

It was a twenty minute car ride. They pulled into a castle, which was impressive in itself. Danny glanced at Vlad, wondering just who the hell this man is. When the limo parked, Vlad and Danny got out of it. Vlad wrapped an arm around Danny's shoulders, noticing how the young man tensed. He led him into the castle and showed him a room on the second floor. It was a huge room. Danny looked around in awe, his jaw dropping.

"This will be your room, Daniel. Mine is just across the hall if you need me. Anything you need is yours. I'll have some new clothes for you within the hour." He led them down the stairs and into another door, which led them to the kitchen. He sat Danny down and made them tea. Danny occupied himself by looking around. The place was huge. Danny had no idea what to do. He felt weak, tired, weary, and worst of all: trapped. Vlad placed a cup in front of him and sat across from him.

"So…" Vlad started hesitantly. Danny merely stared at his tea cup. "Why are you so desperate to run away?" Danny glared at the man. "Okay different question: do you have a last name?"

Danny looked away from the man's eyes. He thought about not answering but quickly changed his mind. e didn't want to a"Of course I do."

"Wonderful! What is it?"

Danny huffed. "Noneya."

Vlad glared at Danny, who couldn't help but smirk. It was a petty feeling of victory, but a victory nonetheless. Hopefully, if he annoyed the man enough, he would see how foolish it was to help him and let him go early.

"Why do you have that lock on your ankle?"

Danny didn't respond. It wasn't as if the man would believe him even if he told the truth. He took a sip of his tea. He could see Vlad's eye brow twitch in annoyance. He smirked. He could feel the annoyance radiating off the other. Danny hide his grin by taking another sip. If he kept this up, he'd be out in no time.

"Alright, another question then: wher—"

"Who are you?"

Vlad raised a brow, apparently annoyed at being interrupted. Danny felt victorious once more. "I told you already, I'm Vlad Masters."

"No I mean," He gestured helplessly with his hand. "Are you some cop or something?"

This time Vlad looked confused. "No. Why? Are you running from them?"

"I'm not a criminal." Danny said defensively, shrinking into his seat, now annoyed himself.

"I never accused you of being one. Would it matter if I am a cop?"

"Probably not." He shrugged carelessly.

"What does that mean?"

Danny got quiet. He looked into his tea cup instead. Vlad sighed. "Why don't you go to your room and rest for a bit? Dinner will be ready in an hour."

Danny scoffed but took the opportunity to escape from the man, if only for a little bit. He finished his tea and found his way towards his room. This place was massive; just how many people lived here? He climbed onto the soft bed, surprised how drained he felt all of a sudden. This was something he was definitely not used to. He couldn't even remember what it was like to lay on something so soft and comfortable. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, his dreams plagued by nightmares of what was once his reality, and probably would be soon if he didn't escape.

He awoke an hour late, when some maid fetched him for dinner. He noticed someone had been in the room earlier; his closet was now open. He glanced at it, surprised to see it was a walk in closet and was filled with clothes his size. Ignoring it, he followed the maid to the dining room, where Vlad was already sitting. Danny sat across from him, wondering where everyone else was. When the chef's served them, he couldn't help but be surprised.

"Do you live here on your own?" Danny blurted out, smacking a hand to his mouth and looking sheepishly at his food.

Vlad answered immediately. "Yes, I'm afraid."

"Oh…" Not knowing what else to say, he took a bite of his meal. His tongue burst from the delicious flavors. It really was way better than gruel…

When he finished his meal, Vlad passed him some pills he had to take. He popped the pills in his mouth and swallowed it down with a glass of water. Vlad examined him for a bit, making Danny squirm uncomfortably in his seat.

"What?" Danny asked when he couldn't take the man's stare anymore.

Vlad half smiled. "Nothing." He dismissed. "You're not going to try and run away again, are you?" Danny tried to hide his guilty face by pretending to be extremely interested in the napkin in front of him. "I was afraid of that. I wouldn't try it if I were you, Daniel. I have security guards all over the place and security cameras. It would be pointless, I assure you."

Danny gawked at the man. What?! How could he?! Danny felt himself shaking. So was he just another prisoner to this man? He had already escaped one, so to speak, and now he was wrapped up in another one? He wanted to hit the man, and almost did. "You can't keep me here!" he hissed.

"One week Daniel, that's all I ask."

Danny growled. "And then what? You'll just let me go, just like that?"

Vlad stared into Danny's eyes so he could see his sincerity. "Yes."

"I don't believe you."

"Then don't, but for one week, you cannot run away. They'll catch you the second step a foot outside."

Danny slammed his fist onto the table in frustration. Vlad didn't even flinch. Danny shot up from his seat, knocking back the chair and walking away from the dining room, fuming. This man was infuriating. He kept Danny hostage, without realizing the danger he was putting him and himself into. He was doing Vlad a favor, really, by running away. It was only a matter time before _they_ found out where he is, kidnap him, and harm Vlad for taking care of him. He went into his room and tossed the night lamp across the room. It hit the mirror with a satisfying clash. The shattered pieces of glass fell to the floor along with the broken lamp. He jumped onto the fluffy bed, shouting his frustrations away until he drained himself and fell asleep.

**AN: I'm not happy with this chapter, to be honest. Hopefully the next one is better. Sorry readers **


	4. Let's Try Again

**A/N: Here's another chapter. Hope you guys like it :x**

Danny woke up early in the morning. The sun shined through the blinds and he took a moment to enjoy the feeling of the rays on his face. He sighed before rolling out of the bed and locating the shower. He enjoyed the hot water cascading down his body for a bit longer than necessary before getting out and changing his clothes. He walked to the window and stared out of it. He really considered running for it. He should at least try! It was much better than waiting to be caught. He frowned, knowing it was pointless. Deciding he should leave the room, he walked down the stairs and wandered for a bit. The castle was huge, and there was much to explore. He spent a good hour going through doors. Each one led to something interesting or just another bedroom. Eventually, he stumbled into a library. He smiled at the thought of reading the books that were there. He still, thankfully, remembered how to read. He made sure of that. One thing was sure; this man is _loaded_.

He made his way to the entrance of the castle, eyeing the door wistfully before turning around. He walked to what appeared to be a living room, spotting Vlad. His stomach churned in disgust and fear. He was about to leave when Vlad acknowledged him.

"Daniel." He called with a smile and then hesitated. He gestured to the chair. "Please, have a seat. I would like to talk to you."

Danny thought about just turning and ignoring the man's request, but, deciding to humor him, grudgingly walked to the chair and plopped down. He said nothing, waiting for the man to say whatever was on his mind. Vlad sat down on a comfy chair in front of him. Danny shivered as he felt the man's eyes roam his body.

"I'm afraid we got off the wrong foot, so to speak." He began. "I did not mean to frighten you."

Danny glared at the man. "You don't scare me." He lied.

Vlad hummed. "Well, let's try again anyway, and allow me to make amends for forcing you to stay with me. Is there anything I can give you make you more comfortable here with me?"

"You've already taken me to the hospital and made sure I was okay. I have new clothes, a bed, food…" Danny trailed off. "There's not much more I can ask for, and nothing I can do to repay you."

"Daniel—"

"Danny. My name is Danny."

"Danny is short for Daniel, is it not?" Even though it was true, Danny found it weird to be called Daniel. No one ever called him that, not even his… he shook his head at the thought. Vlad continued. "As I stated before, I want nothing in return from you. Although I wish you would cease being stubborn and enjoy your stay while you recover. At least tell me where you need to go so I can help you get there."

Danny didn't want the man to know where he would go. "Where am I?"

"Wisconsin." Vlad answered without missing a beat.

Danny couldn't hide his surprise. Wisconsin? What the hell was he doing here? Well, it was a start. At least now he knew where he was standing. Where could he go…? Well, wherever he went, it would have to be really, really far. He trailed off in his thoughts, barely hearing Vlad speak to him.

"Is there a place in mind you have to go to?"

Danny sighed. "Look, Mr. Masters—"

"Call me Vlad."

Danny hesitated. "Vlad—look, I appreciate the help, really, but I have to go. You don't understand—" He began to visibly shake, despite his best efforts to prevent himself from doing so. He was just terrified; he couldn't face them again. No, not again. He would kill him this time for sure, and Danny had to wonder, for a moment, if that was such a bad thing.

"Then help me understand, Daniel. What has you so afraid?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

Vlad stood up straight in his chair, eyes lightening up. "Try me."

Danny scoffed, slightly amused by the man's efforts. "You'll just think I'm a lunatic. Really Vlad, it's best if I just go."

"Well I'm afraid that isn't an option right now. One week, that was the agreement."

"I didn't agree to thi—"

"Perhaps not, but it is what's best for you."

Danny felt his temper rising. His fists clench beside him as he glowered at the man. Vlad really had some nerve, testing his patience like this. If it weren't for the lock on his ankle… "Says who?" He asked with an angry hiss.

Vlad narrowed his eyes, and said in an authorized tone, "Says me. Whether you want it or not, I'll be taking care of you for the remainder of the week." His face softened. "Please, allow me to. It's the least I could do after my limo hit you."

"Is that it? You feel guilty?" Danny eyed the man. He didn't seem like the type to feel remorse. There was something that the man radiated that gave off an air of confidence and lack of guilt. "It's okay. It didn't even hit me that hard. You don't have to keep me here just out of some sense of repayment for hitting me. It wasn't even _you_. It was your driver."

"That makes me equally as responsible, Daniel, but not solely why I am attending to you."

"Then what is it?" Danny asked with a frustrated shout. "Why the hell are you doing this?"

"That's not important. It's help, just accept it."

"Whatever!" Danny huffed, finally having enough of the man and getting up. He stormed off, ignoring the man's calls. He made his way towards the library. He looked at some of the titles before settling on one that looked interesting. He took it off the shelf and just sat down. He flipped it open and began to read.

It took longer than expected for him to finish the book, but he was quite proud of himself. It was a bit hard for him to read after so many years being …. Well. He was glad he was able to pick it up again once he tried. He struggled with some words and was able to find an encyclopedia to help him out. When he glanced at the time he was surprised to see it was so late. Had he really wasted his entire day just reading? 7pm. He got up and placed the thick book away before heading towards the kitchen.

Vlad was already there. That didn't surprise Danny. What surprised him was the look of relief the man showed when he saw him. Danny looked away, feeling his anger rise just at the sight of the man. He felt like a prisoner; _again_. Sure the man had good intentions and didn't … do stuff to him. Hell, he even fed him _food_. He had his own room, a big one nonetheless. He could shower daily and had light that didn't hurt his eyes. But, none of that meant a thing to him. It would all disappear soon enough. It always did when he was close to escaping…

"Daniel…" Vlad approached Danny carefully. Danny took a step back, causing the man to sigh. "May I look at your lock on your ankle?"

"No."

"Please? I would like to remove it for you."

"Wait—what?" Danny looked at Vlad in shock. It was one thing to make Danny's living conditions better for the time being and give him the medical help he desperately needed, but try to remove the lock?

Vlad nodded humbly. "It looks uncomfortable. Wouldn't you like it off?"

"You can't remove it. No one can." Danny said bitterly, looking away. The tiny hope that had bubbled up in his chest was immediately squashed down.

"I'd like to see for myself. May I take a look at it?"

Danny shrugged helplessly. Vlad walked to him and got on his knees to examine it. He looked at it for a while then hummed. He stood up gracefully. "That's quite a lock on you…" He shrugged. "But one that I can remove."

Danny's eyes widened in surprise and he looked at Vlad's eyes to see if he was lying. Seeing no deception and confidence, Danny swallowed. "R-really?" Was it true? Can this man truly remove the lock? The one that's held him from his true freedom for almost 3 years…? He glared suspiciously at the man. "What do you want?" he couldn't help but ask.

Vlad rolled his eyes. "Nothing, I told you! I just want to help you."

Danny shook his head and stepped back. He didn't understand, but if the man truly said he could help him… No. He wouldn't get his hopes up again. The lock was impossible to remove. Vlad saw the disbelief in Danny's eyes. He motioned to Danny to follow him. Hesitantly, Danny followed the man. They went down an elevator and then climbed down a spiral of stairs. As they descended, it became darker until they reached a bright steel door. Vlad pressed in some codes on a lock before the door opened for them. Danny followed.

It was a bright room with a long oak table and chairs. Vlad directed Danny to sit and wait while he entered another room. Impatiently, Danny sat down and waited for Vlad to return. A few minutes later Vlad came back with what looked like a pen in his hand. He elegantly dropped to his knee before Danny and grabbed the leg with the lock on its ankle.

"Hold still. Don't move." He ordered firmly. Danny warily did what he was told. Vlad clicked down on a button on the pen and a bright red laser came out. Danny let out an undignified yelp as the laser started to pierce through the bracelet. It didn't hurt; Vlad moved down once the metal was burned off. Danny watched in pure awe as the lock started getting cut through. He could taste his freedom. Vlad stopped a quarter of the way and looked up at Danny.

"If I remove this for you, will you run away from me?" He asked.

Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, _yes_! He would be free! He would finally, _finally_be free. He wasn't going to let _anyone_ stop him after the bracelet was off. "No." he lied.

Vlad's eyes narrowed. "You're lying."

Danny almost cried when he saw Vlad stand up. He desperately clutched onto the man's jacket when he tried to move away. "Wait! Please, get this thing off of me!" He could see his freedom slipping away once again and he couldn't take it. He was so close; so, so close. Vlad had given him something so precious, and it hurt that he would just take it away. In defeat, Danny bowed his head, suppressing the tears from falling. "I'll do anything."

"Anything?"

"Yes." He whispered.

"Stay with me for the one week we had agreed to. Once I get the lock off, you will not attempt to run away. Once the week is over, you may leave if you truly desire to."

He could manage that, couldn't he? Just one week. That wasn't too bad, was it? It wasn't if the damn lock was off. He could then escape, even if those bastards tried to snatch him again. He would have a chance this time! For once, he would have a chance. If it became too dangerous within the week, he could always escape. Besides, perhaps the man just wanted company? It didn't matter what reason the man wanted him to stay the week; he had the upper hand, even though he was giving Danny one without realizing it. Or maybe he did know? Maybe he was trusting Danny to keep his word if he removed the bracelet. Sighing, he nodded.

"Okay."

Vlad smiled triumphantly, which caused an uneasiness to stir within Danny. Vlad made Danny sit again and resumed using the laser to take the lock off. It popped off with a loud clank. Danny felt his entire body sag in relief. He stared at the bracelet in disbelief. His ankle was swollen, but he didn't care; he only had one thought racing through his head: I'm free. Well, he would be, in a week. He looked at Vlad, who was disposing the lock. Danny sighed. He would keep his end of the deal, now that he felt a little safer. He could disappear if he really needed to. It's not like Vlad knew his secret. Danny didn't realize he had been shaking until he stood up and almost fell over. He smiled, relieved and looked down at his ankle.

Vlad disappeared into the room and returned only a few moments later with a bottle of ointment. The laser was gone. Vlad squirted some of the ointment on his hand then immediately applied it to Danny's ankle.

"That—I can do that myself!" Danny said, blushing in embarrassment.

"Nonsense, I see no reason for me to do it. There, done."

Danny's ankle immediately felt better. He smiled happily for the first time in a very long time. "Thanks…" he mumbled.

"You're welcome." Vlad dismissed. "Will you join me for dinner now?"

"Do I have a choice?" Danny asked with a glare.

"Of course you do, Daniel."

Danny thought about it for a moment before reluctantly nodding his head. Vlad looked pleased. They walked out of the room together and back into the dining room, where food was already placed on the table for them. Danny was surprised he didn't have to do anything. He didn't need to cook, clean, or fix anything. He was just there…like some guest. It was strange. They eat their meals silently, Danny's head still spinning from finally being freed. Vlad will never know how much this meant to Danny. Although he was relieved, he was upset that the man had used it to his advantage. Whatever. One week, that's all it would be. Then…he didn't know.

**A/N: Not much on this chapter, hmm? Well, regardless, I hope you guys enjoy it and I will be updating soon. Thanks again to all of you who take your time to review my story! It's great to see them, and encouraging. **


	5. Get To Know You?

**A/N: You'll have to forgive me for this chapter… It's not at its best. Apparently I wrote a lot...O_o of nothing I think haha.**

When they finished their meal, Danny went to his room and decided to sleep. He was emotionally exhausted. He let himself smile. He was almost free and it felt so good to know that. The following morning, he decided to go back to the library. He grabbed another thick book off the shelf and started reading. He got through a few pages before needing to grab the encyclopedia again. That didn't bother him though. He spent a good three hours just sitting there, reading. It relaxed him and kept his mind off things for a bit.

Vlad walked around his mansion, going from door to door. His heart started to race when he didn't find Danny in his bedroom, guest rooms, kitchen, or several other rooms he had in the castle. He searched for almost two hours and was starting to get worried. Had the boy left? He had promised he wouldn't! Then again, he was dealing with a teenager. Teenagers were quite good liars, but Danny wasn't a good one. Vlad had immediately noticed signs Danny showed when he was lying. He would look away from his eyes, shuffle his feet a little, or play with his hands, before saying the lie. A little frantic, he decided to check the library before sending out his servants on a search.

He opened the door, relief flooding through him when he spotted the teen. "Ah, here you are. I've been looking all over the place for you, Daniel."

Danny dully glanced up from his book to acknowledge Vlad. "Why?"

"You missed breakfast."

Danny shrugged unapologetically. "Got distracted." He mumbled, going back to the book.

"I can see that." Vlad paused then walked further into his library. He looked through his collection before pulling a book out and holding it out for Danny to take. "I recommend this one. You might enjoy it."

Danny glanced at it before smirking. "I read that one yesterday."

"Oh?" Vlad said in surprise. "Did you enjoy it?" Danny absentmindedly nodded. "Great. Perhaps you should try this one then when you're done." He switched the book for another and put it down next to Danny, who glanced at it briefly before going back to his reading. He hoped the older man would understand he wanted to be left alone, but he sighed when the minutes passed and Vlad was still there. Danny glanced up at the man.

"Daniel, I was wondering if you'd enjoy a walk."

Vlad was surprised to see Danny tense, as if he had just asked a question that would lead to their demise. He was so curious about the boy. Never mind the fact that the boy was mysterious, but there was something about Danny that just fascinated Vlad. He hoped he could convince Danny to stay with him longer after the week was over.

Vlad frowned. He thought for sure Danny would agree for a walk. Seeing as he wasn't going to get a response, he tried a different tactic. "Alright then, what would you like to do?"

"Be left alone." Danny answered sullenly.

"How about a game?"

Danny perked up a bit. He glanced suspiciously at the man. "A game?"

"Yes. Do you know how to play chess?" Danny shook his head. "Would you like me to teach you?"

Vlad only had to wait a few seconds before Danny put the books away and stood up, intent of following the man. Vlad was thrilled; he finally got Danny to willingly spend a little time with him. He kept his excitement hidden and calmly walked them to a room. Vlad set up the game for them and proceeded to tell Danny the rules and how to play. Danny listened intently and Vlad was pleased to note that Danny was a fast learner, although rash. He lost several times but learned his mistakes so that he would last another few moves before being defeated.

"So, Daniel," Vlad tried to tread carefully. "How are you feeling?"

"Better."

Vlad nodded. "That's good. How's your ankle?"

Danny hesitated before he reached over for the next piece to move. Vlad didn't know what had caused it, but the young man started to tense. "Fine." He bit out.

"Are you sure? Would you like me to get the ointment again?"

"No."

Vlad couldn't help but think how stubborn Danny was, but didn't mind it. After all, it would be hypocritical of him to criticize. He thought about what else he could ask without the boy getting angry at him and storming off again. It was so _difficult_. There were so many questions burning in his head that he wanted to ask. He wanted answers, but it was so hard to get them. Danny was afraid of something, but what? Was it whoever or whatever hurt him before the car accident? Vlad had been extremely worried when the doctor had told him Danny had so many injuries that had been neglected for years! Perhaps he had just been a run away, and got in with a bad crowd?

Vlad moved another piece on the chess board. He wanted to get Danny to open up to him, to trust him, but how? He glanced to look at the time. When he looked back, he noticed Danny had won one of his pieces. Surprised, he glanced at the board. What the devil…

"You moved my knight." He said with a grin.

"Did not." Danny grunted, but had a guilty, small, playful smile on. Vlad's heart melted at the sight.

"Did so. I specifically placed my knight right _here_." He pointed to the spot where it was previously

"Your memory is faulty."

"And you're a cheater."

Danny's head whipped up with an indignant look on his face. "Am not!" Vlad raised a brow. Danny looked away guiltily. "Okay, maybe a little."

Vlad laughed. The young man was amusing. A shy smile reached Danny's lips, and Vlad found himself smiling back. If only he could get the blatant mistrust off those gorgeous blue eyes… "Are you hungry?"

Danny slowly nodded. They stood up and made their way to the kitchen. Vlad had his servants make Danny food and sat down next to the boy as he ate. Vlad took his time observing Danny. He found it strange that Danny savored each bite like it could be his last. When he had first eaten his meal with Vlad, he had a bit of trouble using the utensils; as if he had forgotten for a while. It made him wonder how intense of abuse the boy had suffered. Was it from his parents? When Vlad had asked about them, Danny had looked stricken with pain. As if he didn't want to remember.

Another thing he noticed about Danny was that he was always fidgety. He constantly looked at his surroundings, as if it was unsafe. Vlad didn't think Danny even realized he did it. It just seemed natural for him to look around, scared. He waited patiently for Danny to finish eating.

"Daniel, I would like to get to know you, if you'd allow it."

Danny watched a maid take away his plate and shifted uncomfortably. "What do you want to know?" His voice was subdued. He must have given up on fighting Vlad, knowing he would be there for the rest of the week and couldn't do anything about it. Unless he was going to break his promise, but Vlad wouldn't let him. If Danny tried to escape, he would bring him right back.

"What do you like to do?"

Danny looked puzzled by the question, and then looked as if he was trying to remember. That was another thing that troubled Vlad. Did he have amnesia? He didn't think so; the doctor said there was only a slight concussion. Still, it was odd.

"I like video games. Um, reading." He paused. "I think that's it."

There it was again: _I think_. Why wasn't he sure? "You don't sound so sure of yourself." Vlad commented.

Danny flinched and shrunk into his seat, looking away from Vlad. He was uncomfortable and Vlad wanted to hit himself for pushing. "I enjoy reading as well. I personally enjoy watching opera shows, a football game (though only when the Packers are playing), going to expensive restaurants to indulge, and walks at the park."

"Opera show? I've never been to one. I've been to the movies before."

So he did remember parts of his past, but not all of it? Vlad had no idea. "Would you like to go to one?"

There was a wistful look in those baby blue eyes before he shook his head, denying himself once again. "No."

"Why not? It's only a short distance away, my boy, and certainly not a trouble. We can even watch one in my own private theatre."

The glare returned and Vlad wanted to groan. He took a huge step forward just to take two steps back. "I said _no_." He stood up and Vlad caught onto the hem of the other's shirt.

"Wait! We don't have to go if you don't want to. Just, sit down." He pleaded a little desperately.

Danny grudgingly sat back down, much to Vlad's relief. He thought about what to ask again, or what to say. It was getting more difficult by the minute to break the thick tension in the air. Finally, Danny broke it, much to Vlad's surprise.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I run business corporations." Vlad said smoothly, glad to talk about _something_.

"Oh. When do you go to work?"

"Whenever I have to. I'm on vacation for the remainder of the week, and therefore, more available."

Danny glared at him. "How convenient." He hissed.

Vlad was not taken aback by the teen's anger. He seemed to have a lot pent up in him. "A bit." Vlad said unashamedly. He smiled gently at him and felt a spark of pleasure shoot up his spine when he saw Danny blush. "At least, if you need me, I'm right here."

"I don't need you or anyone." Danny muttered hatefully.

"Perhaps not, but I would like to be there for you. It makes me feel better knowing you have an option of some sort, even if it isn't one you desire."

"An option?"

Vlad nodded. "A way to vent out your anger, if need be."

Danny flinched and looked away guiltily, which had not been Vlad's intention. He honestly didn't care how tense and angry Danny was at him. He just wanted Danny to be comfortable. Something seemed to snap within Danny. His rigid shoulder became lax and he stared at Vlad with an uncertainty in his eyes. "Why?"

Vlad smiled kindly. "Because I can."

Danny let out a sigh. "Thanks."

"Think nothing of it."

Danny nervously chewed on his lower lip. "So you said…you have your own…private theatre?"

Vlad grinned gleefully. "Why, yes, I believe I do."

When Vlad had asked Danny what genre movie he would like to watch, the teen had responded with "I don't care, whatever's fine." So Vlad put an action movie on. He sat down beside Danny, handing him popcorn. Danny stared at the popcorn with a bit of fondness before grabbing some and shoving it into his mouth. Vlad watched Danny throughout the movie. He enjoyed every reaction that came out of him; whether it was a small laugh, an intense stare, or a roll of his eyes when something corny was said. The best thing, however, was that Danny appeared relaxed. Happy, almost. That meant the world to Vlad.

When the movie finished, Danny seemed to remember where he was and looked at the man for a moment. With an unreadable expression, he said "Thanks."

"Anytime, Daniel." He stretched his body. "Anything else you would like to do?"

Danny shrugged, seeming lost in his own thoughts. Vlad was upset to see Danny's tenseness return, along with the mistrust in those eyes. "Perhaps…You'd like to join me in watching the Packer's game? It'll be on soon."

Danny shifted uncomfortably. Vlad knew the answer before he even heard it. "No, thanks. I'll be going now." He stood up and Vlad did nothing to hide his disappointment. When Danny left the room, he sighed. He walked out of the private theatre and walked around his castle, no longer wanting to watch the game. It was being recorded anyway. He roamed around, lost in his own thoughts. Danny was … cute. He smiled at the thought. The young man had a stubborn, fierce nature to him and it was endearing, to some degree. He was very secretive, and Vlad wished Danny would open up to him. He could take care of him! He had the money, resources, and the power, didn't Danny see that? Perhaps not, and that was a problem. How could he convince him to stay?

As he roamed his own hall ways, which he had done so many times in the past, he stopped dead on his track when he heard a muffled grunt. He strained his hearing until he heard a sharp gasp of pain.

"Daniel?" He asked, calling out. Hearing nothing, Vlad ran to where he thought he had heard the noise coming from. He called out again. "Daniel?" He stopped running and changed directions when he heard a groan. He finally caught sight of Danny, on the floor, curled up into a ball, seemingly in pain. "Daniel!"

Vlad was instantly by Danny's side. He pulled Danny towards him, trying to see what was wrong. Danny clutched onto to his stomach, his eyes shut tightly in pain. He was panting heavily, sweat forming on his forehead. "G-Go aw-away!" He gasped out.

"Stop being foolish!" Vlad snarled. "Tell me what's wrong! What hurts?"

"N-Nothing!" Danny spat stubbornly.

"It certainly doesn't look like nothing to me! What's hurting you? I can take you back to the hospital."

"No!"

Vlad's temper flared. He was losing his patience. Danny was in pain and refusing help. He didn't want Danny to be in pain. "Then tell me what's wrong!"

Danny flinched and curled even further in on himself. Vlad held onto him tightly. He waited a few seconds. He decided to reach for his cell phone and call for help when Danny finally said something. It was said so lowly, Vlad missed it. He leaned in towards Danny. "What? Say that again." He demanded.

"My stomach, chest, and legs hurt." Danny whispered, although reluctant. "They feel like they're going to explode." He began to violently shake.

Vlad thought of Danny's response worriedly. "Did you take your pills this morning?" Danny shook his head. Vlad groaned. "Daniel, what were you thinking? You need to take those pills!"

"Shut up! You're not helping!"

Vlad immediately lifted Danny up and carried him to his room. He found the pills beside Danny's bed on top of the drawer where he would _specifically_ see it. Sighing, Vlad took the pills and coerced Danny into swallowing it. After, Vlad crawled into the bed and positioned Danny so he would be lying on the bed, resting his head on Vlad's lap. Vlad petted the soft, raven hair. Danny continued to shake for a while, and for a moment, Vlad was afraid it was too late, but then Danny's shaking subsided. He was still panting, but his breathing was slowly returning to normal. A few minutes later, Danny fell asleep.

Vlad continued to pet Danny's hair, relieved he finally fell asleep and seemed to not be in pain anymore. He would twitch every now and again, but for the most part, he looked okay. Vlad looked at Danny's neck, which had a few slash shaped scars on it. His face, thankfully, was left untouched. Vlad wouldn't have cared if there had been any; the young man was beautiful regardless.

A few hours passed. Danny finally stirred and woke up. He looked up at Vlad, confused. Vlad smiled warmly down at him. "Hello, little badger. Feel better?"

Danny must have realized their positioning, and the fact that Vlad was resting his hand on his head because he sat up. The action caused him to let out a startled yelp of pain before he lied back down on Vlad's lap. Vlad huffed in annoyance.

"When will you cease being so rash?" Vlad asked.

"When are you going to stop being creepy?" Danny snapped back.

"What have I done now?"

"Every time I wake up, I see you just…hovering."

"It's merely out of concern for you, Daniel."

Danny simply glared at him. Vlad smiled regardless and continued to pet his hair. Danny flinched so Vlad stopped. The young man began to squirm uncomfortably. "You are one seriously, crazed up fruit loop." Danny muttered.

Vlad raised a brow, a bit insulted. He left it alone. He still rested his hand on Danny's head. Danny seemed to shake a bit and his eyes were glazing with fear. "What's wrong? Are you in pain again?"

"No, just, take your hand off me." Vlad immediately complied to Danny's request. Danny's eyes sharply looked into his. "All you had to do was ask, Little Badger." Some of the tension left Danny's body. He looked away to stare up at the ceiling for a while, as if debating on something. Vlad waited patiently for Danny to say what was on his mind. His patience paid off.

"Hey, Vlad…"

"Yes?"

"You're not safe with me being here. You should let me go, while you're ahead." Danny said somberly.

"Why aren't I safe? Tell me. I could protect you, protect us. Just tell me what it is that you're running from."

"I can't tell you completely, but I can tell you some of it."

"It's a start." Vlad said happily.

**A/N: Blah. Here's another chappy. I'm in a pissy mood so I probably could have written this better but don't care… Hopefully some reviews will cheer me up lol jk. I just hope you guys enjoyed. Hopefully the next chapter will be a bit better. **


	6. Secrets but Explanations

**AN: So here's the next chapter. Again, thank you all so much for reviewing, it really cheers me up and makes me feel great that you guys willingly voice out that you like it. You guys, are absolutely amazing. Each and everyone one you who enjoy It, and a special thanks to all of you for reviewing.**

Danny tried to think of how much to reveal. He didn't have to tell Vlad everything. If he did, he would be in danger. He didn't trust Vlad, but the man was trying. He helped Danny when he needed it most, although he still didn't understand why. He suppose he could try to protect Vlad, he owed it to him.

"I used to be…experimented on."

Vlad raised a surprise brow. "What kind of experiments?" He asked fearfully. Those would explain the scars.

"Painful ones." Danny answered truthfully. "They found out something was… different about me, and immediately started to experiment on me." He remembered all the screams of horror he let out over the years. No matter how many times he went under them, he never got used to the pain. They didn't even bother putting anesthesia on him. They didn't think it was necessary. "They got caught a year later by another group who were interested in g…er, I mean, interested in those who were… different. So they made a deal and they both got to uh, experiment and do what they want with me."

Vlad was quiet for a moment, taking in what Danny told him. What was so different about the boy that they _experimented_ on him? Vlad's stomach churned in disgust. Who was cruel enough to do that to someone like Danny? No wonder he didn't trust anyone and was constantly trying to run away. "Who were they? Do you know?"

Danny sighed. He really didn't want to tell Vlad. He told one person and it hurt when he voiced it out. "I know who they are, but I rather not say."

Vlad's expression hardened. "How can I protect you then if you won't tell me? If you tell me, I can find them and make sure they never lay a finger on you again."

Danny let out an amused snort, wondering how much power Vlad thought he had. He shook his head. "I'm not going to let you endanger yourself like that. You don't know what they're like and what they have."

"I can if you would just tell me." Vlad said exasperatedly.

"No."

Vlad let out a sigh, frustrated. "And the lock that was on your ankle?"

"It was to make sure I couldn't escape the way I can. It stopped me from being different whenever I want." He scratched the side of his neck, wondering if what he said even made sense. It made sense to him, but it wasn't as if Vlad knew what he was talking about so it didn't matter.

"I see. So now you can be…different?"

"Yeah."

"Will you show me?"

"No."

Vlad paused. After a moment of silence, he quietly asked, "How long were you experimented on?"

"I think three years. I lost count after a while. Sometimes I didn't even know what season it was unless I saw them come in with a coat. So I based it off of that."

"You…you took all that pain for three years?" Vlad asked, his voice cracking. Three years of being experimented on? No wonder his body was so…destroyed, for lack of a better word.

"Yeah, about. I mean, they didn't do experiments every single day. They took breaks to research their findings and stuff. I mean, I think that's what they did. I don't really know. They would just take breaks. When they thought of something new to do, they would take me back to the lab room and do stuff to me. Usually I was kept in this small cell." Danny tried to remember anything else. All he remembered was pain…"I think the longest break I had was three months. Of course, I didn't know it was just so they could try something new and more painful." He winced as he recalled the machine that felt like could rip his soul apart. "They got very fond of that one." He said sullenly.

Vlad's fists clenched by his sides until his knuckles were white. He wanted to find these people and kill them. He didn't care how; he would torture them until they begged for death and then kill them slowly. He was so lost in his murderous thoughts he barely realized Danny was talking again. He forced himself to listen.

"They really liked bringing me close to death. I think I died a few times, but they always somehow brought me back." His eyes glazed as he thought about it. "It was really weird." He frowned at the thought.

"Daniel…" Vlad said helplessly.

"Hmm?"

"How…how did you escape?"

"I don't know, really. I don't remember this time. I probably did what I did last time. Last time, there was a power outage, so the chains they had on me lost their power and I broke free. I jumped into a vent that led me outside and ran for my life. The second time was harder because they made sure the field I had to run was booby trapped. I got lucky and avoided most of the blows, though." He had no idea why he was able to talk about it with ease. He just felt numb, really. He didn't realize he was shaking until he glanced at his hands. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"You've escaped before?"

"Yeah."

"What happened the first time?"

"Uh," Danny closed his eyes and tried to remember. "I was able to turn different and find an abandoned warehouse to stay in for a while. I was really weak though, so it was kind of hard. I mostly slept. I was scared and hid for a long time. I was able to get a little bit of food by going through trash cans. One day, some lady found me and offered to help me." His voice turned bitter, cold. "She said she could help me. I was desperate, so I believed her. She asked me for my name, and I told her. She took me in, gave me food and let me sleep on her couch. The next day, they were there. They surrounded me, zapped me, and took me back with them. That's when I saw one of them handing the woman that 'helped' me money. That's when they put that stupid lock on me."

So that's why Danny refused to believe him when he said he wanted to help. Vlad looked down at Danny's eyes. They were full of hate, sadness, and undying rage. Vlad hated to bring up these painful memories, but he needed to know. "What happened the second time?"

"Same thing, another power outage. One of the machines they were using to dissect me—"

"DISSECT YOU?"

Danny flinched and glared up at Vlad. His expression softened a bit at the look of absolute horror on the man's face. "Are you going to let me finish?"

"Forgive me." Vlad swallowed. "C-continue."

"Anyway…it sucked up more power than they thought it would. You'd think they would have learned by then. So I fumbled my way through the dark till I found an opening and ran out. I didn't know the field was booby trapped and I couldn't go gh—different. I crawled my way out and made a break for it. I ran for hours, until I collapsed near a tree. I woke up when the sun was out and ran again. Apparently they had relocated. Nothing looked familiar. I hid behind buildings and homes for a while, just trying to find my way around. Turns out I was in Amity Park. I found a high school there and found some food I could eat." He smiled. "That's where I met Sam."

"Sam?" Vlad didn't like that smile that appeared on Danny's face. It was full of affection and fondness.

"Yeah, she found me and gave me food. There was something about her that didn't make me run right away." He remembered fondly.

"I see." Vlad bit out jealously, feeling his heart churn and a hot spiral of fire shoot up his spine.

Danny continued, not noticing Vlad's reaction. "She gave me a watch so I could know what time to meet her. She used to sneak out during school to give me food, water, and even got me new clothes." He really wished he had the watch. _They_ took it away once they saw it.

Vlad grit his teeth. _He _provided those things as well, even medical treatment! What made what _Sam_ did more special than himself? "How long did this go on?" he asked, not really wanting to know.

"About two and a half weeks. She introduced me to her friend, Tucker. He really loved tech. She let me crash at her place when the coast was clear. I slept in her bedroom, underneath her bed so that her parents and servants wouldn't know I was there."

"Servants?"

Danny nodded. "She was rich, but didn't like people to know. Her and Tuck gave me the best time of my life…it felt so good to feel…human again; to not be experimented on and stuff. They were a lot of fun." He frowned sadly. He really missed them. "I had to leave. Sam was keeping me a secret from her family and it was getting risky. I didn't want her to get in trouble. I ran off and I was okay for a while. Sam made sure I was well packed when I left.

One day, I met a girl named Valerie, a guy named Kwan and _Dash_." He said the name with utter hatred. "They were around my age. They said they could let me crash at their place for a bit. I was so tired…" He said regretfully. "I…I let them take me in." He closed his eyes in despair as he remembered what happened next. Tears started to leak out and he didn't bother stopping them. He had a right to mourn. "They…they found me. They sent some special uh, people, to find me…They…They found out Valerie had been hiding me. I stayed too long… they found Kwan, too. They…" he chocked up.

Vlad expression immediately softened and, hesitantly, he petted Danny's hair. He wanted to pull the young man into a hug but thought maybe that wasn't the best thing to do. Danny didn't react well to his touches. "What happened?" He asked softly.

Danny tried to get past the lump in his throat. "Turns out Dash ratted Valerie out…H-He somehow found out about me. T-they beat them, in-in f-front of m-me. T-they were t-tortured…" he closed his eyes. "I tried to stop them, I tried!" he shouted. "I-I w-w-was so weak…I-I couldn't do it…They-they took advantage that I-I cou-couldn't go different and…made me watch a-as they to-tortured t-them…I screamed and begged for them to s-stop…but t-they said they deserved it, for harboring me, a-and th-that it was a lesson for me … f-for letting them hide me…t-that it was MY fault." He sobbed. He tried, so hard, to protect them, to fight them off, but he couldn't. Watching them get tortured was more painful than all the experiments they had ever done on him.

"Oh Daniel…" Vlad ran his hands soothingly on Danny's arm. Danny continued to cry, mourning over his friends.

"I-I don't know what happened….I think they killed them… They took me away. The last thing I remember was seeing them on the floor, bleeding." He managed to say, curling in on himself.

"Do you remember their full names? Perhaps I could find out…"

Danny shook his head. "I won't tell you their full names." He still didn't trust Vlad. Danny continued to let out his tears. It took a while for him to calm down, but Vlad was there, petting him. It was odd, but he let it slide. Finally, he looked up at Vlad, who was looking down at him solemnly. "Don't you see?" Danny asked in a whisper. "That's why I have to go. I can't be here, with you. They'll find me eventually and they'll do to you what they did to them…" he started to violently shake again.

"I won't let them. You're safe here. I promise."

Danny grit his teeth angrily. "You don't understand! You can't protect me, you can't protect yourself! Vlad, they can through your security. It's so _easy_ for them to! You don't know what you're dealing with!"

"Then tell me. Tell me, and I can protect us." Vlad said a little desperately. "Let me protect you, Daniel. I can if you let me."

"No! You can't. We've been lucky that they haven't found me yet. It's only a matter of time before they do. It's too risky to be here for the rest of the week. Is me being here a week really worth getting killed?!"

Vlad sighed. Danny wasn't going to let up on telling him what was so different about him. He could protect him, if he would just tell him! No one could ever protect Danny like he could. "I'll be fine, little badger. It's you I'm worried about."

"I'm fine." Danny said dismissively. "You shouldn't worry about me."

"You can't expect me not to now that I know what you've been through." He pulled Danny towards him and wrapped a protective arm around him. "I won't let you go back to that nightmare, Daniel. Stay with me and I can protect you."

Danny stubbornly shook his head. It was for Vlad's own good, whether he realized it or not. They stayed silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Danny thought about what his next move would be after the week was over. Vlad wondered how he could convince Danny that he was the best choice for protection. Well, he had the remainder of the week to show him. Perhaps he could change Danny's mind about leaving. He had to! He wouldn't let Danny go back to that. He would give Danny the life he deserved.

"What happened to your family?"

Danny flinched and looked away. "I don't want to talk about that."

Vlad nodded. Danny talked enough. He still had so many unanswered questions, but he would give Danny time. Maybe with enough time, he would tell him; trust Vlad and reveal his secret. That way, Vlad would know what he was dealing with that scared Danny so much. "Are you hungry? We can go down to eat."

Danny's stomach growled. Blushing, he nodded. Food sounded nice at the moment. Vlad was still holding Danny, which Danny hadn't realized. He had been so lost in his thoughts. He jerked away, ignoring the look of sadness from the other man's face. They got up and went to the dining room. It gave them both time to think. Vlad was still digesting the information revealed to him. They ate quietly. He was glad he understood why Danny didn't trust him, or anyone, for that matter, but that didn't make it any less difficult to cope with. He wanted Danny to feel safe with him; to realize he could take care of him like no one else could even dream of!

After dinner, Danny tiredly made his way back to his room. Vlad followed him, and for once, he didn't seem to mind it. He felt drained. Recalling all those painful memories was the worst. Exhausted, he climbed into bed. Vlad stared at the bed almost longingly and Danny was too tired to think much of it.

"May I join you?" Vlad asked.

Danny's eye brows furrowed in confusion. "Join me?" He asked tiredly.

Vlad nodded. "Just for company."

Danny looked away hesitantly. "I don't think that's a good idea." He didn't feel safe with Vlad. Now that he knew part of Danny's secrets, not completely, but enough, maybe he would try to kill him?

Vlad looked disappointed. Frowning, he nodded. "I understand." He turned around with the intent to sleep in his own bedroom and perhaps sulk for a bit.

"Wait!" Danny sighed. Vlad turned and faced him. "Fine." He huffed out.

Vlad's face lit up. Danny snorted. "Fruit loop…" he muttered. Vlad ignored the jibe and climbed onto the large bed. He got close to Danny, but when Danny tensed, he stayed at his spot. He turned off the lights and went to sleep. It took a little longer for Danny to sleep, but once he heard the man's steady breathing, he fell asleep as well.

Neither noticed the shadow hovering outside the window.

**AN: Hope you guys liked it and hope you all will enjoy the next chapter. **


	7. Plans?

**AN: So here's another chapter. I didn't get much reviews for the last one so I'm really sorry if I've disappointed anyone with how my fic is going . I hope you guys can enjoy it.**

Danny woke up early the next morning. He felt better. He turned on the bed and noticed Vlad was gone. He wondered why he felt disappointed by that. Shaking his head, he jumped out of bed, took the pills that were next to him and got himself ready. He glanced in the mirror and noticed he was looking better. He lifted his shirt and was surprised he could no longer see his ribs. He walked down the hallway towards the kitchen, his head down as he thought about what he revealed to Vlad. He did it for the man's own good, hoping that it would scare him enough to send him away, but Vlad seemed more determined now to keep him…safe. It was impossible. Vlad couldn't keep him safe, and he wouldn't let what happened to Valerie and Kwan happen to Vlad. He did so much for him already.

He bumped into a firm body and looked up in surprise. "Oh, sorry. Vlad?"

Vlad smiled down at him. "Not to worry, little badger. Good morning. I was just going to get you."

Danny walked with Vlad into the dining room. They calmly ate their breakfast. After, Vlad went to his study, suggesting to Danny to watch some T.V. Danny, figuring he had nothing else to do, took Vlad's advice. He flipped through the channels. He hadn't watched TV since he had stayed over Sam's place. He smiled at the memory. It was bittersweet. A few hours later, Vlad joined him in the room. Danny ignored him for the most part, but Vlad took a seat beside him and abruptly asked,

"So what do you plan to do?"

Danny startled. "Plan?"

Vlad nodded. "After the week is over, do you still intend on leaving?"

"Oh." He paused and thought about it. "Yeah. I do." He then narrowed his eyes into a glare. "And no, I'm still not going to tell you what makes me different."

Vlad frowned, obviously disappointed. "Well then, what do you plan to do?"

Danny shrugged. "Just to run." He said honestly. "Hey, how far is Amity Park from here?"

"A few hours away, why?"

Danny looked away. "Well, I was hoping I can try to find Sam."

"You think _she_ can protect you?"

Danny sharply looked at Vlad. He was confused by the cold, hard look on the man's face. "No, I just want to see her and Tucker. Just glance at them to make sure they're okay."

"Oh." Vlad looked sheepish, must to Danny's amusement. "And then what?"

"Just keep going."

"You can't run forever, Daniel."

Danny looked down. He knew he couldn't. "I can try."

It was his only option. He had a better chance now, with that stupid thing off his ankle. He got caught last time, but he was sure he could get away with it this time. He took a huge chance staying with Vlad, but given the circumstances, he didn't have much of a choice. Vlad seemed intent on keeping Danny from _them_, but then again, it was because he still didn't know Danny's identity, and never will. That offered a bit of comfort for him. He only had four days left, and then he could be free.

"It's not a solid plan, Daniel."

Danny was starting to get annoyed. "It's the only one I got."

"I could—"

"_**No. **_Just drop it already! Sheesh!"

Vlad let out a frustrated sigh. Danny ignored it. It was for Vlad's own good, damn it, even if he didn't realize it. "Very well." Vlad said reluctantly. "Do you mind if I watch the game?"

Danny passed the remote to him. Vlad put on the game he had intended to watch the night before and they watched it together. Vlad started cheering and yelling at the screen throughout the game. Danny couldn't help but smile. The man was amusing. He was also weir and a bit creepy, but amusing. Danny smiled as he recalled Vlad petting his hair. It had relaxed him and almost made him feel safe, like nothing could ever harm him. He almost felt like that a few times when he was with Sam.

When the game finally ended, Danny stood up and went to leave. He saw the look of hurt and sadness on Vlad's face and rolled his eyes. "I'll be right back." He said before going to the library. He picked up the book and encyclopedia Vlad recommended to him and made his way back. Vlad was flipping through the channels. When he saw Danny, he looked pleased. Danny quirked a brow at him, but said nothing as he resumed his seat on the couch. He had no idea why Vlad was always happy to see him. Maybe the man was lonely, or just bored? Danny shrugged it off. Vlad could always leave and do whatever he wants; Danny wasn't going to stop him.

Danny started to read. Every few sentences he would have to look through the encyclopedia to help him. Vlad noticed. "Do you have trouble reading?"

Danny's face flamed in embarrassment. "Yeah." He muttered. "A bit. There wasn't much to do in my cell. They didn't care about keeping me entertained. They just threw me in there and I would just have to stare up at the ceiling for hours."

"Would you like me to read to you?"

"W-what?"

"I could read to you, if you'd like."

Danny's blush reached his neck. "I-I…T-that's okay, you don't have to."

"I insist." He held out his hand to Danny. "I quite enjoyed that book. I wouldn't mind reading it again."

Without even thinking, Danny handed the book to Vlad. Vlad took it and looked at the page he was on. "If you have trouble understanding something, feel free to ask."

Danny, mortified, simply nodded. He hoped the man would grow bored reading to him in the first few pages and then hand the book back to Danny so he could read on his own. It didn't happen. Vlad read through the book, occasionally asking Danny if he needed help understanding something. Danny was embarrassed, but when he nodded and told Vlad what he didn't understand, Vlad calmly and soothingly explained to him. Vlad was patient with him. They were half way through the book before they decided to take a break. Danny stared at Vlad in wonder. Vlad, surprised, asked,

"What?"

"What's in it for you?" Danny wondered aloud.

Vlad's expression changed to puzzled. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean?"

"Why are you nice to me? Why are you doing all this for me? What's in it for you?"

Vlad smiled at the question. He responded calmly, "You fascinate me, little badger. Seeing you happy is more than enough for me."

Danny tilted his head to the side. "So am I like, a son to you?"

This time, Vlad's face went red. He also looked guilty. "Well I—no, i-it's not like that at all." He cleared his throat and tried to gain his composure.

Danny narrowed his eyes. Vlad was surprised to see the look of bitterness in them. "You know, those people who did experiments on me were _fascinated_ by me as well."

Vlad swallowed. He had to be careful with his choice of words. He had been making progress with Danny so far and didn't want to step back. "That's different. I would never hurt you, Daniel. Quite the opposite; I want you to feel welcomed and safe here with me. Which, you are, so if you reconsidered leaving and just stayed here…"

"Not a chance, fruit loop. I'm leaving as soon as our deal is over." He crossed his arms and looked away from Vlad. It was tempting, Danny thought, to live with Vlad. The man took care of him, and made him feel somewhat safe. He knew it was impossible though. He and Vlad were in danger and he wouldn't chance it.

Vlad sighed sullenly. "If you would just tell me…"

"No." Danny growled. "Stop bringing it up!"

"Why won't you tell me?"

Danny's face turned truly cold as he glared at the man. The tension that had been gone earlier returned full force, and Vlad felt a slight shiver run down his spine from the intensity of Danny's look. "Because you'll turn me in just like everyone else. You'll betray me, just like they did. I trust _no one_." Danny hissed.

This time, Vlad got angry himself. "Oh, you trust no one but _Sam_, is that it? What about me? I got that blasted bracelet off of you! _She_ didn't!"

"What?" Danny was taken aback. He didn't understand why Vlad seemed so angry about Sam. Then, something clicked. He blinked owlishly at the man. "Dude, are you _jealous_?"

"Of course not!" Vlad said a bit too defensively. Vlad was uncomfortable with how accurate the boy was. "Why would I be jealous of some teenager _girl_?" he scoffed, trying to appear uncaring. Apparently Danny wasn't falling for it.

Despite the situation, Danny found himself grinning. "How should I know? You're the fruit loop." He didn't see _why_ the man would be jealous of his friend.

"I am not a fruit loop! Stop calling me that!"

"Stop calling me 'little badger'!" Danny retorted.

"What? Why?"

"I don't know; it's weird!"

Vlad smiled. "You find my nickname for you weird?"

Danny didn't like that smile. It made his stomach flutter. He squirmed and tried to look away from the man. "Y-yeah. It's just weird." He wanted to smack himself. He couldn't help but think how foolish he sounded. "You know what I mean!" he said exasperatedly.

"Sorry Daniel, I can't say that I do. Perhaps if you explained it to me?" He grinned, having fun teasing him. Danny had no idea how much he had filled Vlad's life in such a short amount of time. He would do _anything_ to keep Danny with him. He would keep him safe, secured, and happy. If only he wasn't so stubborn to realize it.

"Shut up! I'm going upstairs." Danny stood up and stormed away, needing some time to himself. Vlad let him go. He knew Danny would return to him eventually.

When Danny was a good distance away from Vlad, the annoyance and anger he felt melted away. He let himself smile a little. He didn't realize how much he had longed company. He spent so many years without it. Well, he had company within those years he was captured, but not the one he wanted. He looked wistfully out the window. Maybe once he figured out what to do and some time has passed, he could visit Vlad again? He would have to make sure the coast was one hundred percent clear of course, but if it was, he would come back to see how Vlad was doing. He still didn't trust Vlad, not completely, at least, but… he shook his head. Gloomily, he thought it was best to stray from those kinds of thoughts.

He spent an hour just walking around the castle. He started to become familiar with it and could navigate his way around. He heard footsteps and immediately tensed. He was ready to summon his power when he saw Vlad's face. He sighed, relieved.

"Daniel! There you are. I have something for you."

Danny couldn't help it. He was curious. "What'cha get me? You didn't have to…"

"It's nothing. Here, I thought you might like this." He handed Danny a hand-held device. He stared at it for a moment before accepting it.

"What is it?"

"I'm told it's the latest game station and most popular one."

"You…you got me a game station?!" he looked up at Vlad in disbelief; clutching the gift.

Vlad waved it off. "See if you like it. If not, I'll get you something different."

"What—this is insane! Why would you give me this?"

Vlad ruffled Danny's hair affectionately. Danny flinched slightly at the contact, but allowed it. "Just something to keep you entertained. You could even take it on your travel. It's solar powered so you won't have to worry about the batteries dying while you're gone."

"Wow…Thanks." Excited, Danny turned it on. Vlad smiled, pleased, and turned around to go to his study.

Vlad walked into his study and took a seat. He pulled out a stack of paperwork and figured he might as well do some to pass the time. Being locked up in the castle the past few days was starting to give him cabin fever. He had Danny though, so it wasn't so bad. Besides, if he could find out what it was that made Danny so scared and show him that he could protect him, he was sure he could find a way to coerce Danny to step out without fear. He immersed himself in his paperwork. He was surprised when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in." He wondered what his maid or butler wanted.

Much to Vlad's surprise and delight, Danny popped his head in. "Hey. Mind if I join you?"

Feeling immensely pleased, Vlad successfully hid his excitement. "But of course. I'm afraid I'm a bit preoccupied so I'll probably just be a bore."

Danny shrugged. "That's okay." He stepped in and closed the door behind him. He made his way towards Vlad and sat down on the floor, next to the man. Vlad stared at Danny in confusion. There were chairs all around him. Danny could have easily picked one to sit on.

"Daniel, you don't have to sit there. You can grab a chair and pull it here."

"I'm fine here." He paused and then looked up at Vlad. Vlad's breath caught in his throat as he saw the most genuine calm the boy had been since he's been under Vlad's care. "Unless you want me to move?"

Vlad forced himself to talk. "No. Whatever you want is fine."

Danny went back to his video game after that. Vlad watched Danny for a bit before returning to his paperwork, a content smile on his face. It felt nice to have Danny near him. It wasn't awkward. It just felt comfortable to have Danny next to him, each occupied with their own thing to pass the time. Vlad got through most of his paperwork before he glanced down at Danny. Danny had his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth, his brows furrowed in concentration as his fingers rapidly tapped on the buttons. Vlad grinned at the sight, finding it completely adorable. He entertained himself by watching Danny.

Danny paused the game when he felt like something was off. He looked up to see Vlad was watching him. "Creep." He muttered, a little affectionately, making Vlad's heart soar. He ran his fingers through Danny's hair, ruffling it a bit. "Cut that out." Danny groused, glaring at the man. He returned to his game, his tongue poking out again.

Vlad stopped, but didn't remove his hand. Danny didn't comment. Vlad smiled and once again wondered what he could do to keep Danny with him. His days were numbered. If he didn't show Danny that he could protect him, and soon, he would disappear from Vlad's life forever. Vlad didn't believe in fate, but the car accident gave Vlad something he never dreamed of. It gave him someone unique, someone interesting; someone who was quickly making his way into Vlad's heart. He didn't want to lose Danny. He didn't want to sit down in his office or home, wondering where Danny was and if he was okay. He didn't want to think that Danny would stay with _Samantha Manson_.

It wasn't that hard to find her. Amity Park only had one high school and only one wealthy person named Sam. She had graduated the year before. There was also a Tucker Foley who was in the same year as her, and Vlad guessed that was probably who Danny was referring to, he couldn't be sure. They were both off in college. It wouldn't be hard for Danny to find them, like Vlad did. They were safe. Danny would be pleased to know. However…Vlad, in his research, found Valerie Gray, Kwan, and Dash Baxters. Valerie and Kwan were announced deceased with no sure cause of death. Dash Baxter, however, was still alive. Vlad wanted to kill the boy himself; him and that wretched woman who sold Danny out. It was because of _them_ that Danny did not trust Vlad.

Sighing, Vlad petted Danny's soft hair. He tried searching for Danny as well. He looked up boys who were reported missing three years ago and came across many Danny's and Daniel's, but none of them resembled his little badger. He couldn't imagine all the pain and suffering the young man had to endure in those three years. It was just unbearable to think of it. The scars on his body would always be a painful reminder of the nightmares he suffered through for so long. Vlad wanted to take all of Danny's pain away. The fact that Danny could be taken away from him to go back to that horrific place filled Vlad with a sense of dread he never experienced before.

"Uh, dude? Can you stop that with my hair? I'm not a pet. Get yourself a cat if that's what you want to do."

Vlad stopped petting Danny's hair and glared down at the boy. "I will not get myself a cat. Besides, I would never think of you as some sort of pet. Does it really bother you when I play with your hair?"

Danny blushed and refused to meet Vlad's eyes. "It's just weird." He muttered.

Vlad grinned. "How?"

"It just is!"

Vlad chuckled, only to be given a heated glare for it. "You're quite amusing, Daniel."

"Shut up!"

**AN: Not much going on in this chapter, but there should be a little more going on in the next one. … Hmmm. I gotta work on that huh? Haha. Hope you guys enjoyed. **


	8. I Wish Things Could be Different

**AN: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I greatly appreciate it. So, here's another one. **

**Oh, on a side not, if I was not clear before, someone asked, this WILL be a DannyxVlad fic. Hope that doesn't bother anyone _ if it does, my bad haha. I am seriously obsessing over this pairing. I'm writing another fic which I will post soon. I know, I'm being a bit much, aren't I? _ **

The next two days passed by a little too quickly for both Danny and Vlad. Danny had gotten a bit more comfortable around Vlad, much to Vlad's delight. He still didn't trust the man, but he was nice to Danny and he could appreciate that. Although he did find it weird that Vlad would sometimes disappear a few hours throughout the day, coming back looking pleased, but Danny didn't question it; he already knew the man was a fruit loop. Also, Vlad bought Danny at least 30 new video games to keep him entertained while he was gone. They spent time together. They sometimes watched movies together or would watch a sports game on TV. Danny discovered that Vlad was more interested in just the Packer's game. Vlad often read to Danny at night before they went to bed. Vlad even started sleeping in Danny's bed, which Danny spent a lot of time trying to convince himself that he didn't like. He finally gave up after the third night and just let it be.

Danny was surprised to be a little reluctant to leave Vlad's castle. He only had two days left before he would finally be free. He often stared out the window, picturing his escape. He only hoped that Vlad would keep his word and try not to stop him from leaving. After all, a deal is a deal. Then again, Vlad was sly and always got his way. It didn't matter. Danny knew what he could do to escape. It was too easy. Danny climbed out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around his waist. He looked in the mirror. He looked…different. He almost looked happy. He glanced down at all the scars on his body. Disgusted, he forced himself to look away and leave the bathroom. When he walked into his bedroom, he let out an undignified squeak.

"VLAD! Haven't you ever heard of knocking?!"

Vlad was standing in the bedroom, seemingly lost in his thoughts before he glanced at Danny. "Sorry little badger, I—" he stopped short and let out a surprised gasp when he saw Danny's body.

Danny flinched, feeling self-conscious. He knew he looked like a mess. The scars were deep and hideous. Danny resisted the urge to pull the towel up to hide his body. He knew it was pointless.

"Daniel…"

Danny quickly ran to his drawer and pulled out a shirt, hastily putting it on. When he opened the drawer to grab his boxers, he was yanked away and pulled into a fierce hug. Danny struggled to push the man away, but Vlad wouldn't move.

"Daniel…" Vlad whispered, hugging Danny tighter. Danny stopped fussing. He felt Vlad shake, the hug too tight to be comfortable. Danny's arms were pinned to his sides. Vlad buried his face in the crook of Danny's neck.

It felt weird to be held like this, as if he was cared for or loved. He'd been hugged by Sam, even Tucker, but it wasn't like this. It felt as if all of Danny's troubles could melt away by this man. Danny rested his head on Vlad's chest and let himself be held. He smiled. He could indulge for a bit. For a few minutes, he could pretend. When it seemed like Vlad had no intention of letting go, Danny huffed and tried to push the man away, although this time, he did it gently.

"Vlad. Vlad? Vlad!"

"Hm?"

Danny looked away, embarrassed. "Can I finish getting dressed?"

"Oh, of course." Vlad looked just as embarrassed. He walked out of the room. Danny let out a sigh of relief and finished getting dressed. He walked out the door to see Vlad standing with his arms crossed, staring at the floor. Danny walked up to him and offered a hesitant smile. Vlad met his eyes and offered one back.

"So uh, what did'ja come here for?" Danny asked.

"I want to show you something."

He pushed himself away from the wall and led Danny to a room he had not gone into. Vlad was excited, Danny could tell, but he no idea why. That's when he saw a large wall of security camera screens. Vlad proceeded to show Danny all the security measurements placed on his castle. They were the best of the best; guaranteed to stop _anyone_ from entering the castle without suffering the wrath of Vlad's security equipment's. Danny had to admit, he was impressed. The castle was nearly impenetrable, not only that, if someone _did_ manage to sneak in…Danny flinched as his imagination went into overdrive when Vlad informed him what each machine could do.

"You see Daniel? No one can offer you this much protection, not even the military! Stay with me; I can protect you. Don't you see that?"

Danny stared at Vlad in mild disbelief. The man was trying so hard to convince Danny to stay. Honestly, if weren't for the huge advantage _they_ had, Danny would have considered the offer. He smiled sadly at Vlad, who radiated confidence and assurance. Danny sadly shook his head, feeling his chest tighten when he saw Vlad frown.

"I'm sorry…They'll still get passed all this."

"What?!" Vlad shouted in disbelief, losing his temper. "How?! Daniel, I promise you, these are the absolute _best_. You've seen yourself what these things are capable of! What are we dealing with that you say that _this_." He gestured violently to his security equipment. "Isn't enough?!"

Danny flinched at Vlad's tone, but didn't blame the man. "You wouldn't understa—"

"Then HELP me understand Daniel! You claim that I won't but you don't know that! Try me! Haven't I proven to you that I'm worthy?" his anger faded into hurt, making Danny cringe. He could deal with angry. He didn't like seeing Vlad hurt.

"I'm sorry." Danny said sincerely taking another step back. "You just have to trust me."

Vlad's shoulders sagged. He looked utterly defeated. Danny didn't like the look. He swallowed and took a step closer to him. When he was within reach, he pressed his forehead against the others and cupped the side of his cheeks. Danny took a deep breath.

"Don't you get it? I … I don't want you getting hurt. I care about you, Vlad. You did all this for me? That's pretty cool. I'm flattered, really. You have to believe me though, when I say that they _will_ get through. I'm not making this up." He closed his eyes. "I know them. They can have people who are different, not like me, but similar qualities that I have who they can use to get past all this. _I_ can get passed all this; that means they can too." He sighed. "I can't let you get killed, Vlad."

Vlad was silent for a moment. He slowly wrapped his arms around Danny and pulled him close. Danny almost let out a gasp from the contact. He kept his eyes squeezed shut as he listened to Vlad talk.

"I care about you too. What's your secret? Whatever it is, I promise I can still protect you. You just have to trust me and tell me." Danny shook his head. "Why not? What do I have to do to convince you that I only want to protect you? I won't let anyone get to you little badger. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again. Just…just give me a chance. Please, I beg of you. I'll do anything."

Danny seriously considered telling Vlad his secret. He wanted to spill his guts out to the man just to make him understand why it's impossible for him to let Danny live with him. Then Danny thought of those times he was betrayed. He thought about when he told _them_ his secret and how they reacted. Danny couldn't chance it. He wouldn't give his trust, his heart, to anyone ever again. It was too risky. He didn't think he could take anymore hurt and betrayal. Besides, Vlad said Danny fascinated him. Well, what would happen if Danny was no longer fascinating? He'd kick Danny to the curb, he was sure of it. It was better this way. This way, he wouldn't get too attached. This way, it hurt less.

"I'm sorry. I can't."

Vlad's body tensed for a second before sagging back in defeat. He let out a sigh and ran his hands comfortingly up and down Danny's back. Vlad kissed Danny's forehead, making the young man blush. It felt nice to be treated so kindly. Vlad's touches were soft and gentle, but sometimes possessive and protective. They stayed like that for a while, until they mutually pulled away. They walked out of the room silently. Danny had no idea where they would go and what he should say. The air felt thick with tension. He glanced over at Vlad. The silver haired man looked sullen. Danny felt terrible for causing that look.

"You're quite stubborn." Vlad said, but it wasn't affectionate. It was more like an observation he was making that he had to accept.

"I'm just making sure you're okay." Danny replied, getting annoyed. "If being stubborn means you get to live, then fine!"

Vlad smiled a little. "It's nice to hear you care about me, little badger."

"I just don't want someone else to get killed because of me!"

Vlad wrapped an arm around Danny's shoulder and pulled him close. "I understand." Danny wanted to push away from the man but didn't.

They somehow ended up lying together on the couch. Vlad was lying on his side, one elbow propped so he could rest his head on his hand, his other arm holding Danny close to him. Danny lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, a bright blush on his face. Vlad held him as if he was afraid Danny would disappear if he let go. He had no idea how accurate that was. However, Danny knew he wouldn't flee; they've been safe for now and he still had two days left before he would disappear from Vlad's life. Danny glanced up at the man. He was gazing quizzically down at Danny, like he was some sort of puzzle he couldn't solve. Danny was surprised he was letting Vlad hold him. He still had his guard up but Vlad hasn't hurt him so he didn't see a reason to really resist. It felt nice.

"Do you have any family?" Danny asked out of the blue, curious.

Vlad seemed surprised by the question, but calmly answered. "Yes, I have relatives. My parent's passed away recently."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No."

Danny looked back up at the ceiling. Vlad didn't seem uncomfortable talking about his family. "Do any of your relatives visit?"

"Not really. I'm far too busy for them."

Danny gave him a look. "Yet, here are you are with me on a week's vacation."

Vlad grinned. "You're different. For you, my little badger, I can afford to take a week off. Longer, if need be."

Danny felt guilty at the hopeful gleam in those blue eyes. He had to wonder what it would take for the man to finally give up on the idea. It would probably have to be Danny walking out that door and never coming back. Well, maybe not _never_, but he'd have to be gone a long time just to make sure it's safe to come back and visit.

"How about a girlfriend?"

Vlad laughed at that question. "Does it _look_ like I have a girlfriend, Daniel?"

"How would I know? You're just as secretive as I am." Danny said defensively.

"Perhaps I am." He chuckled. "But I can assure you, there is no significant other in my life." He shot a meaningful look at Danny, which was ignored.

"Oh." Danny had nothing else to ask. He saw the amusement from Vlad's face leave and frowned at that. He looked like he wanted to ask something, but was unsure to. Danny rolled his eyes. "Just ask."

"Do you remember what your life was like before you were taken in?" Vlad asked hesitantly. "You don't have to answer that, of course."

Danny silently wondered if he should answer the question. He could just say yes and leave it at that. But, he figured this time, he could indulge the man. "I remember most of it."

"What was it like?"

Danny wracked his brain to remember his life before he was captured. "Pretty…boring, really. Well, sort of. I grew up in a house with my parents. I had an older sister. She was really smart. I did normal stuff. You know, go to school, watch T.V., listen to music. I hung out with friends sometimes, but I didn't have many. Maybe three? I don't remember their faces or names. Actually, sometimes I can't tell what's my actual memory and what's something my mind just made up. It looked real enough but when you've been drugged up and tortured for so long, you kind of hallucinate from time to time." He looked up at the ceiling, not being able to see the pain and anger cross Vlad's eyes. "My parents had weird jobs, which is why I became different." He threw in.

"You became different? This isn't something you were just born with?"

"No. It happened when I was fourteen."

"An accident?"

"Yeah."

Vlad looked down at Danny, his eyes not hiding how much he cared for him. Danny both hated and liked it. It made him feel cared for, that's for sure, but it was so unreliable. They showed him love and affection until they found out what he became. That was one of the worst betrayals Danny ever felt. The woman looked at him as if she cared when she offered him help that one time and look how that turned out. He put his faith in Valerie, Kwan, and Dash and that back fired on him as well. He couldn't let it happen again.

"What must I do to convince you to trust me with your secret, Daniel?" Vlad asked in a whisper.

"There's nothing you can do. I still have to leave, Vlad."

Vlad's eyes closed before nodding. "What time will you leave?"

"Midnight."

"I see…" He trailed off, his eyes glazed with sadness. It made Danny feel incredibly guilty. He wished Vlad wouldn't make this so hard. He wished he hated the man like he did when he met him. It surprised Danny how much could change in just a few days. Danny was too busy with his own musings that he didn't hear what Vlad said.

"Sorry, what? Say that again?"

"I said: will you ever come back to me?" Vlad asked in a low voice, as if afraid of the answer.

Danny smiled. "Yeah, I'll come back when I can."

"Really?" Danny nodded. Vlad smiled happily and nuzzled his forehead against Danny's, causing the young man to flinch and blush at the contact. "That's something, at least." He murmured lowly, still nuzzling.

"Cut that out." Danny groused, although not really meaning it.

"Why? Does it bother you, little badger?" Vlad continued to nuzzle him.

"No, it just…" Danny couldn't finish what he wanted to say. In all honestly, he was starting to like Vlad's touches. They were soothing and sweet. He'd never been touched like this before. The way Vlad held him and everything made Danny feel safe.

"Just what?" Vlad prompted.

Danny didn't reply. He rolled onto his side and buried his face in Vlad's chest, his free arm slinging around the other man. Vlad held Danny to him, hugging him as if he was the most precious person in the world. Danny enjoyed the warmth and happiness he felt for a bit before speaking.

"I wish things could be different…" His voice was a bit muffled, but he suspected Vlad could hear him. "I wish I could stay here, with you and not worry about our lives every single second that passes. I wish I wasn't different. That way, I wouldn't have this secret and be afraid of what happens if someone found out."

Vlad didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Feeling Vlad's arms tighten around Danny's form told him enough. Vlad felt the same way.

**AN: Mm. Not much going on this one again. Either way, I hope you guys enjoyed.**


	9. Leaving

**AN: Thank you for the inspiring reviews. They're so heart-warming to read and my god, do they make my day haha. Thank you again to everyone who has been enjoying my fic and reviewing. I really appreciate it. I again, must apologize, for the fact that I have no beta. I go over it several times but I know I still miss a bunch of mistakes. Here's an update, and thanks again for reading!**

The next day, Danny seemed more paranoid than usual. When asked, he explained it was as if everywhere he turned, he saw a shadow of a figure. He would see it pop up from the corner of his eyes and then it would disappear when he went to look for it. Vlad checked himself but never saw anything. Vlad figured the nightmare Danny had that night didn't help matters. The young man woke up panting and screaming. Vlad immediately held him and comforted him. Danny couldn't sleep after so they stayed up, huddled together, until the sun rise. Vlad hadn't left his side since then. Even when Danny went to shower, Vlad stayed in the bathroom with him, looking away to give Danny privacy but just giving him comfort with his presence.

Vlad didn't want Danny to leave. He all but begged for him to change his mind, but it was all in vain. Danny said he made up his mind. Vlad told him he would take Danny across the world so that they could be safe. Danny didn't want to chance it. Vlad nearly pulled the hair out of his head from the frustration of it all. Damn it, he wanted Danny with him! Why couldn't he see that Vlad was the best form of protection? Why couldn't he see that Vlad would take care of him, love him, cherish him, and make sure he is never harmed ever again? That Vlad would go on a hunt to kill those that had harmed him, just to be sure Danny felt safe and secured? If only Danny would just _tell him_ who hurt him.

Vlad opted to keep Danny close to him. It hurt him to know this was their last day together. Danny was someone that just made a sudden appearance in his life and Vlad didn't want him to go away. There was just _something_ about him that Vlad found unable to resist. Danny was fierce; he had been through so much, but seemed to have a heart of gold. Vlad sighed. He wanted Danny to be his. Sure, Danny was wrong, but he was anything but immature. Plus, Vlad loved a challenge. His ultimate goal would be to keep Danny safe and happy, and he would do so willingly.

Vlad watched Danny eat. The young man looked depressed. Vlad's heart tightened at the sight. Maybe Danny was reconsidering? Vlad wished that could be true, but Danny was so out of bent on leaving for _Vlad's _sake. Vlad nearly scoffed at the thought. No one would dare harm him and if they did, well, the consequences were severe; Vlad made sure of that. Still, it warmed him a bit to know Danny was reluctant to leave. That meant he felt some sort of attachment to Vlad, even if he tried to deny it. Well, it was either his attachment towards Vlad or his guaranteed meals and entertainment that he was reluctant to leave. Vlad liked to think it was the first.

After breakfast, Vlad placed his arm around Danny's shoulders and led him to the study so they could read comfortably together. They spent the entire day together. They read, watched movies, even played video games together. In between each activity, Vlad would try to persuade Danny to stay. No luck. Although they were enjoying themselves, there was a tension in the air they could not ignore, even though they tried to. One thing was clear: they were both miserable about Danny's decision to leave.

It was 11:49pm. Vlad watched the clock with the upmost hatred he ever felt in his entire life. In 11 minutes, the one person who ever made him feel alive, happy, anxious, and so many other emotions he couldn't even _name_ was leaving; possibly forever! Danny promised he would come back and visit Vlad, but how could he be sure of that? That's why he put a tracking device on Danny's bag. It only made sense for Vlad to watch out for Danny in some shape or form. Vlad gave Danny at least four huge wads of cash he could live off of for a while. He would have given Danny a credit card but the boy said he didn't want to be traced.

Vlad sighed as he watched Danny finish putting his shoes on, his heart slowly breaking by the seconds. Danny glanced at the time. Vlad reluctantly followed his eyes. Five minutes. Danny walked up to Vlad and offered a small smile. Vlad tried to return it but it came off more as a grimace, which made Danny frown.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Vlad tried again, probably for the thousandth time, placing his hands on Danny's shoulders.

"No, Vlad. It's better this way." Danny replied with a sigh. "Thanks for the map. Actually, thanks for everything. If it weren't for you, I would never have gotten better." He smiled at the older man. "And I never would have gotten that damn lock off, so, thanks."

"You're welcome, little badger." They walked towards the door. Danny opened it and looked out into the night sky. Vlad could see the longing of freedom in his face. Vlad knew he couldn't take that away from Danny, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"Well…I guess this is it." Just as those words left Danny's mouth, the clock stroke midnight. Vlad swallowed passed the lump in his throat.

"Good bye, little badger." He pulled Danny into a tight hug, not wanting to let go. When he felt Danny pull away, it took all his will power to let go. Even then, it felt as if his heart was being torn in half.

"Good bye, Vlad." Danny smiled and then hesitated. He bit his lower lip before his eyes shone with determination and did something that surprised both Vlad and probably Danny as well.

He kissed Vlad. It was a quick kiss; a mere press of the lips that lasted only seconds before the raven haired broke away and ran. Vlad stood at the door, dumbstruck, as he watched the one person who meant something in his life run away from him. That kiss…was the best one of his life, and the most heartbreaking.

He didn't know how long he had been standing there. Danny had been out of sight for some time now. He sighed, deciding it was best to just head back in and try to distract himself, no matter how pointless the attempt would be. His castle felt empty more than ever before. As he closed the door shut, he suddenly jumped slightly when he heard a crash from the inside of his castle. With a raised brow, he went to investigate the noise, not really in the mood for anything. Another crashing noise came from his bedroom. He cautiously walked in, gasping in surprise when he saw his entire room had been trashed. Before he could do or say anything, a chilling chuckle caught his attention.

"Well, well…Vlad Masters….This is a surprise."

**AN: Sorry about the ending to this chapter ^^; I'll make up for it? **


	10. True Freedom?

**AN: So I now have a beta. How AWESOME is that? Not only is that awesome, but she is absolutely amazing. I personally want to thank ****Raininglullaby ****for taking the time out of her day to edit my work. Also, she contributed to the middle of the fic, doing me a favor by writing a scene I couldn't truly write out well. I'll mention it at the end AN. But again, thank you all for reviewing and I hope you guys can enjoy it better now that I have an amazing beta. **

Danny made sure he was out of sight before getting behind a tree. He double checked his surroundings before he did what he hadn't done in a very, very, long time. At least, not willingly like this. Two white rings appeared in the middle and slid over his body. His clothes changed from the expensive attire that Vlad gave him to a black and white jumpsuit. His black hair changed to snow white, and his baby blue eyes were now neon green. He jumped into the air, his legs changing to his spectral tail before zooming off into the sky night. He made sure he was invisible as he flew. He didn't want to be spotted.

Leaving Vlad turned out to be the hardest thing he ever had to do. The only thing stopping him from running back was the fact that he had done the right thing. He had insured Vlad's safety and his _life_. That is what was important to Danny. He knew all his life that some sacrifices had to be made to make sure others were safe and protected. He knew that all too well as Danny Phantom. Still, he hadn't expected his heart to tear into two when he said good bye to Vlad. He didn't regret kissing the man, either. He was embarrassed that he actually went through with the urge. At least he wouldn't have to face Vlad for a long time.

Danny wanted to repay Vlad somehow. The man kindly took him in and took care of him for almost two weeks. Vlad tried so hard to keep Danny with him, even going as far as getting the best security system money could buy. If Danny had told him his secret, perhaps they could have gotten a ghost shield and been protected…He shook his head at the thought. He couldn't live life like that; knowing that if they somehow managed to get past the shield and took Vlad, he wouldn't forgive himself. Danny told himself firmly that it was better this way. One day, later on, when he came back to visit Vlad, and saw the man was safe and unharmed, he would feel better about the decision he made; the right one.

He flew for a while, glancing down at his surroundings, trying to remember which way he had to go. He wanted to go to Amity Park first, to check up on Sam and Tucker, and then continue his journey. Danny really didn't have a clue as to where he was going, but he figured he could just keep flying until he landed some place that looked safe. Although, knowing _them, _that was probably impossible. Still, without the risk of someone he cared for getting hurt, he could take his chances. He stopped midair to pull out the map from his backpack and examined it. Making sure he was going the right way, he carefully placed it back and continued his flight.

He had flown a good distance away when something hit his arm, causing a shock of pain to jolt through his body. He turned around to see what had harmed him, and was a little surprised to see someone familiar. "Skulker? What are you doing here?"

Skulker, a mechanical ghost hunter who Danny first met at 14, was only a few feet away from him with a mini missile on his upper wrist aiming at Danny. "Doing a job, whelp."

Danny tossed his bag to the ground and positioned himself for battle. "They hired you? I thought you hated them!"

Skulker flinched. "That I do, but they have a slight advantage over me. One that I'll gain back once I've captured you." He let the missile launch, and Danny quickly dodged it.

"I'm not going back, no matter what!" he shouted as he charged at his attacker.

Danny put up a good fight. He had an advantage this time. That was because he was almost fully recovered from all the injuries given to him over the past three years. He had some complications with certain body parts that he would need to fix with physical therapy, but overall, his condition was better than it had been in years. That means this time, if the ghosts were going to try to take Danny back to _them, _he sure as hell wouldn't go back without taking some of them out.

Danny flipped back while creating a shield as Skulker shot a few ecto blasts at him. He lunged and landed a few punches and kicks to Skulker before dodging an ecto sword aimed at his neck. Danny then created his own sword and charged. They clashed a few times before Danny was able to slice off part of the ghost hunter's metal arm.

Skulker was taken aback by Danny's attacks; he had been so sure Danny would be weak considering the condition he's been in before. With a final ecto blast, Danny took him out. After defeating Skulker, a mist alerting him of another's ghost presence slipped out between his lips. He whipped around to come face-to-face with Freakshow.

Danny couldn't say he was surprised. They caught Freakshow a while ago and had used him to capture Danny the last time he escaped. He was a little worn out from his battle with Skulker, but he made sure not to show it. "You. Of course they would send _you _to get me again," Danny said angrily.

Freakshow sighed in boredom and crossed his arms. "Look, I don't want to waste my time. Just come here and there won't be any problems."

"What did they promise you in exchange for my capture? Freedom? Oh, wait, they promised you that last time, didn't they?" Danny asked mockingly with a smirk. He shot out an ecto blast at the ringmaster. Freakshow, surprised by the energy, was hit and the force slammed him into the ground.

He stood up from the rubble and glared. "Why you little brat! You should have just made this easier on yourself!" And with that he took out a scepter and sent his minions to get Danny.

Danny was suddenly surrounded by five ghosts. He wasn't familiar with this pair but they all looked like they had been injected with steroids before they moved on to the next life. He looked at Freakshow in shock, surprised he had a scepter in his hand. "How the heck do you have that thing again? I destroyed it!" He swallowed and glanced at each ghost who was slowly approaching him.

Freakshow let out a little sigh, obviously not happy. "It's controlled by the Guys in White. It's like the one I used to have but modified for their liking. However, I get to keep this in exchange for your return. So why don't you just come quietly and avoid the inevitable?"

Danny took in the ghosts he was surrounded by. Five ghosts; he could handle that. "I'm not as weak as I was last time." He went about proving his point. With all five ghosts attacking him, Danny took them all out one by one. He pulled ecto energy into both hands and disappeared into the ground. The young hybrid re-appeared behind two of them and quickly shot them down with powerful blasts.

They may be stronger ghosts, but they weren't as much as a challenge since Danny was almost at full health. Dodging a few attacks from the others he flew into the air and produced a whip of ecto energy. He charged it up and attacked. Danny defeated two more with a single flick of his whip, knocking them out. Charging to the last ghost, he punched him in the jaw knocking him down.

He saved Freakshow for last. He didn't have to do much for Freakshow really. Once he blasted off the scepter and destroyed it, Danny kicked him a few times then upper cut his jaw sending Freakshow flying. He then gave him a few ecto blasts to his stomach and it had him lying on the ground gasping in pain. Danny stood over him, panting, but relieved he was able to defeat his opponents. Danny said smugly, "If I were you, I'd run back to the Guys in White and tell them that I won't be an easy target. They can forget about me going back, because it will never happen."

Freakshow grinned up at Danny, making the young hybrid shiver. The smile made Danny feel nervous and uncomfortable. Still, he held his ground. "Oh really?" Freakshow bit out with a splitting grin. "Well, perhaps you'll be more inclined to return once you realize what happened to your new friend." He laughed.

Danny froze. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh don't play dumb. You don't think we didn't notice Vlad Masters hiding you away in his castle?" He let out another chilling laugh, "He'll get what's coming to him, just like those kids you let down."

Danny instantly paled. His body went into overdrive as panic set in. He grabbed two handfuls of Freakshow's shirt and pulled him up. "What have you done to him?! Where is he?!" Danny demanded to know with a hysterical shout.

Freakshow only laughed in amusement, which soon turned into a cough. "Y-You'll see very soon…" He grinned maliciously before going slack, passing out.

Danny didn't even think about it. He turned around and flew back towards Vlad, his mind in a whirl. He knew it. He knew this would happen! He _knew_ he saw shadows of them when he was in the castle! He should have known he was being spied on. Why hadn't they entered the castle and simply taken him then? They had multiple opportunities. Especially since he was weaker before and probably would have been easier to capture. He ignored his exhausted body as he forced himself to fly faster. He had to reach Vlad! He wouldn't let them hurt him!

The thought of losing Vlad was the most frightening thing he ever felt. Sure, he hadn't trusted Vlad. At one point, he resented the man, but Vlad had wormed his way into Danny's heart. Even though he had tried _so damn hard_ to prevent him from doing so. This wasn't supposed to happen; Vlad was supposed to be in his room, safe now that Danny was gone. He wasn't supposed to be in danger because of him! Why hadn't Vlad listened when Danny told him it was unsafe? They could have prevented this from happening! He didn't think his sanity would hold any longer if something happened to Vlad.

When Danny reached the castle, which appeared to be fine, he phased in and immediately flew towards Vlad's bedroom. His heart gripped with fear at the sight of the room. The place was a mess. There were disarrayed, destroyed and burnt furniture scattered throughout the room. Scratch marks and holes from blasts decorated the walls. His mind went blank as dread set in. Was he too late? Had they gotten Vlad?

"VLAD!" Danny shouted, now flying to the hallway entrance, searching for some sign of Vlad Masters. The hallway was destroyed, as if a fight had occurred. Danny didn't know how Vlad could have put up a fight against the ghosts or even the Guys in White. Judging by the blast marks on the wall, he guessed it was the latter. "VLAD!" he shouted again, speeding through the castle. He decided to try the lower levels.

"VL-" He stopped short when he spotted an unfamiliar ghost standing in the room where Vlad had taken off Danny's lock. The ghost had pale blue skin, black hair that was spiked up, and red eyes. It looked almost like a vampire. It was heading towards the door Vlad had disappeared into before and Danny immediately tackled the ghost.

The vampire-like ghost growled in annoyance and tried to shove Danny off of him once he had recovered from the shock of being suddenly tackled. Danny didn't budge. He pinned the ghost to the floor. His hands gripping onto the ghost's shirt where the cape met. Unexplainable rage swept over him. He wouldn't let Vlad get hurt or killed because of him!

"Where's Vlad Masters?!" Danny demanded, knocking the ghost's head onto the pavement.

"Get off me you wretched child!" The ghost shouted while shooting a mix of pink and purple ecto blast that made Danny slam to the nearest wall.

Danny forced himself to recover, surprised by how powerful the other ghost is. He shot his own blast, which was easily blocked. Danny clenched his teeth. He didn't care how powerful this new ghost is, he wouldn't let Vlad down. "I swear, if you've hurt him, I'll kill you!"

The ghost seemed taken aback by Danny's threat. Danny quickly charged once more at him. He used his speed to his advantage and knocked the ghost into an oak table. The ghost groaned and tried to get up but Danny once again pinned him, using all the strength he could muster.

"Tell me where he is!" Danny demanded, raising one hand and showing his green ecto energy. "Have you hurt him? Have you taken him? Tell me where he is and I _might_ let you live!"

The ghost blinked up at Danny in surprise. He examined Danny's features before his eyes widened as if he made some sort of realization. "Daniel?" he asked softly.

And that was the last thing Danny heard before he was knocked out.

**AN: So the fight scene was Raininglullaby's doing. Isn't she great?! Well, anyway, enough spazzing over her (I already do it via email and that probably drives her nuts already lol) I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. **


	11. Caught

**AN: I must once again thank my Beta, Raininglullaby, for her advice and awesome edit. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And thank you all for reading and reviewing my fic. It means the world to me. I hope you guys are still enjoying. **

**By the way, someone asked a question about Freakshow. It's not a bother :) Freakshow is still human in my fic, he just used the same weapon advantage he had when I think he's first introduced in the show. Again, thank you all so MUCH for reviewing! **

**Here's another chapter! Hope you all can enjoy.**

Danny groaned in pain. He felt as if his body had been split into two after being hit with a giant boulder. When the pain dulled down to a tolerable point, he attempted to move. First, he tried to lift his hands, but couldn't. He then tried his feet and legs, but they felt as if they were pinned down. Finally, he snapped his eyes open and let out a small grunt of pain as they burned from the bright light shining directly on them. After the burning sensation left he examined his surroundings and froze. This area was too familiar and he realized why. Panicking, he struggled against his bindings, but no luck. He was trapped. They had caught him.

A woman wearing a blue jump suit suddenly appeared by his left side. He instantly recognized the woman, after seeing her his entire life, it was hard not to. He knew what was coming next and didn't try to fight it. It was pointless. This was it; they won. Again.

"Good, you're awake," the woman started with a light voice, "my, and look at you. You're in good condition." She examined his body, poking his ribs that were once broken. "You've healed quickly in such a short time. I'm surprised; with the amount of damage done to you I thought it would take at least a month for you to recover, even with the ghost powers aiding you. Whoever helped you did a really good job. This is actually a good thing. We haven't had you in such good condition in a long time. It'll be a good way to see if your speed of recovery has increased."

Danny lay still as he listened to the woman talk, his eyes glazing over dully with the realization he had lost.

"We couldn't believe you escaped us again, you know. We were really angry." She placed her hand on a machine that hovered above Danny. The machine popped out several pointy and sharp objects, along with lasers, when she pressed a red button. She calmly grabbed a laser and pulled it down to hover over Danny's chest. He wasn't even frightened.

"We searched everywhere for you," She continued. "We didn't think you'd get very far, considering you were in pretty bad shape when you escaped. We were surprised you even got past all the traps and security set up we put after the second time you escaped. We made sure this time though, that there's no chance of you escaping. Several back-up generators will do the trick. Those vents you used to crawl through? They're not only sealed down, they're surrounded by a ghost shield. As I was saying, we looked everywhere for you. We didn't think to look into a hospital, but when Agent K happened to stumble upon one and asked about someone named Danny, he was surprised when a doctor asked if he knew where his parents were."

The situation was so ironic Danny wished he could laugh. It would probably hurt to though and he didn't doubt his laughter would soon turn to sobs.

After a slight pause, the woman continued explaining. "We looked up the profile the doctor made up for you and to our surprise, it was you! We asked what happened to you and they told us _Vlad Masters_ took you in. We couldn't believe it. We thought it was probably a mistake; that someone could have just been posing as Vlad Masters and took you in. Just to be sure, we sent a few of our captured ghosts to look for you at his castle. When they reported a confirmation that you were there, we had to be careful. We didn't want to hurt Vlad, since we know him, but Agent K and Agent O were more interested in getting you back." She let out a sigh. Apparently she hadn't agreed with their intentions. "So, they sent ghosts to spy on you. It was tricky to get you back. Apparently you were attached to Vlad's hip. That's really low of you, by the way, to use Vlad as a form of protection from us. And it worked, too, until you ran away from Vlad."

Danny swallowed drily, finding what was left of his strength to ask the question burning in his mind. "Vlad? Where is he?"

She scoffed. "As if you care, ghost boy. Now, hold still; this is going to hurt. A lot."

The laser grazed Danny's skin, melting through the jumpsuit instantly, and he bit back a shout. "Tell me what you've done with him!" He insisted, growling, his voice coming out more forceful than he thought he could even manage.

This annoyed her. "You're in no position to make demands." The laser was burning through his shirt, making its way down to his stomach.

This time, Danny let out a loud wail of pain as the laser went through his side and stomach. He could tell this was just punishment for escaping. The laser cut through deep enough to hurt, but not enough to really endanger him. He wished he could die. After two weeks of freedom, one week of it being unconscious, they caught him. He thought for sure he had a fighting chance this time, and perhaps would have if Vlad had just let him go from the beginning. Then again, he didn't know when _they_ discovered that Danny was living with Vlad Masters. Either way, nothing could be done about his situation. He continued to shout as the laser made its way back up towards his chest, only from a different angle, causing the laser to seep through deeper. He heard one of the tools go off like a chainsaw and it was being lowered down to his body. Blood was coughed up as his vision began to blur when he felt the spinning blades cut slowly into his right arm.

Despite the pain he was feeling, he wondered if Vlad was okay. Hopefully they hadn't harmed him. Although he would be more than happy to die at the moment, the thought of Vlad being harmed or _dead_ was too painful to bear; even more so than the pain he was going through now. He let out another loud shout, his voice going hoarse as hot consuming pain shot through him.

Plasmius followed the Guys in White after they had knocked Danny out and took him. A blast had been shot from the adjoining room and hit him and Danny, knocking them apart. Plasmius turned invisible just as the Guys in White came charging in. He tensed for a moment, wondering if they had spotted him since they were looking around. He heard one say "I thought I saw another ghost in here" to his partner, but after not spotting anything, they simply retrieved Danny's unconscious body and flew away on their jetpacks. Vlad's blood boiled as he followed them to their base, a good 20 miles away from his home. After making sure they entered their base without noticing him, he tried to go through the door they used, only to be blocked. An invisible ghost shield was in his way. Annoyed, he immediately switched to his human self and punched in a code required to enter. It was a guess, but a good one. The door slid open. Once inside, he saw a hallway with multiple doors and wondered where to go.

He let out a frustrated sigh as he switched to his ghost form. He didn't have time for this! Danny needed his help _now_. Quickly, he phased through the first door only to encounter prisoned ghosts. He looked through the 20 cells there, but didn't find Danny. Angry, he tried the next room. It was just a room for experimentation. He quickly destroyed it, making an alarm sound go off. He ignored it in favor of going to the next room.

The next room kept all the weapons the Guys in White owned. Vlad destroyed those too. Hoping the next room would be Danny's, he was disappointed to find just another room for experimentations. Just how many of these did they need? Ready to destroy it, he was interrupted by a green ecto shot that he barely managed to dodge. Looking down to see who had shot at him, he was surprised to see someone familiar.

"Jack Fenton?" Plasmius asked, his voice chocking from the shock.

Jack, armed for battle, looked momentarily off guard that the ghost knew his name. He quickly recovered and aimed his exaggeratedly big gun back at the ghost. "So you've heard of me! Well, you should save yourself the trouble and surrender now!" He shot at Vlad again, who merely put up a shield, effectively protecting him.

Vlad knew Jack Fenton and his wife were ghost hunters. After all, he did attend college with them. However, he was surprised to see them so close to his home. Didn't they live in Amity Park with two children? Not only that, he didn't think Maddie and Jack were the type to join the Guys in White. They seemed very independent and competitive with other ghost hunters. So why was Jack here, protecting the base? Something didn't seem right. He rolled his eyes as Jack continually shot at his shield, trying to break it to get to Vlad. Well, maybe they knew where they kept Danny?

Vlad duplicated himself and surrounded Jack to discourage the man from fighting him. "I don't have time for this! Where is the ghost boy with white hair and green eyes?"

Jack's eyes widened at the mention of Danny. "You're allies? I should have known!" He put down his gun and took out some gauntlets. He punched his fists together, a cruel smirk on his lips. "Don't worry, you'll be joining him soon enough!"

Vlad didn't like the sound of those words. Jack took out one of his clones but was immediately over powered. The clones easily pinned him down. Using his ghost powers, Vlad wrapped Jack in pink ectoplasm and had him pinned to the wall instead. Calmly, he walked over to the ghost hunter, showing his superiority.

"Now, I'll ask one more time: Where is Danny?" Vlad asked with his usual smooth tone.

Jack scowled at Vlad. "Don't call him that! That was our son's name, not that _thing_. Just because it took our son doesn't mean it deserves to have his name!"

Vlad was taken aback by the angry reply. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Like you don't know." Jack muttered bitterly, his eyes shifting from a fierce look to one of sadness. "You ghosts took our only son away. We _will_ find out how and prevent ghosts like you from ever doing it again!"

It didn't make sense, but Vlad didn't have the time to wonder the meaning behind it. He stared at Jack strangely and opened his mouth to retort, but a loud, chilling scream stopped him. Looking around wildly, he tried to pinpoint the direction the sound came from. When he heard it again, Vlad took off in the direction, his heart racing. Was he too late to save his Daniel?

Vlad encountered another door and was immediately blocked from entering. He scowled, realizing it was another ghost shield. Another sickening scream made its way through the door. Quickly, he spotted the security lock and guessed the same password. Relief swept through him as the door slid open. When he walked in, his relief was diminished instantly at the sight before him. Cold dread tightened his heart while rage, indescribable rage, and horror radiated his body.

Danny lied on the table, a pool of blood dripping from his chest, stomach, neck and arms onto the table and to the floor. His voice hoarse from all the screaming as Maddie, the woman he had once loved and considered a wonderful woman, calmly tortured him with the lasers and blades in her hands. She hadn't looked up to see who entered the room. Taking advantage, he flew towards them and knocked Maddie back with a violent swing of his arms. He shot an ecto energy shot at the machine with the weapons to torture Danny, effectively destroying it. Vlad then removed the binds holding Danny down and cradled the young halfa's head.

"Daniel?" Vlad asked worriedly, wondering if he was too late. Danny's green eyes were glazed over. Panicking, Vlad shook Danny urgently, his voice coming out pleadingly and desperately. "Daniel! Daniel, please, look at me! DANIEL!"

Oh god, no, no, no, no, no…he couldn't lose Danny. He couldn't! Danny had given him meaning to his life that he never had before; had given him something he had always wanted. He couldn't live with himself if Danny died. There wouldn't be a reason to continue. He _needed_ Danny. He needed him like his next breath and wanted nothing more than to take him home and take care of him for the rest of their lives. e He hugged the other hybrid to him, too deep in sorrow to reflect on why there was _another_ hybrid such as him in the world.

"Daniel…" Vlad sobbed lightly.

"W-who?"

Vlad whipped back to see Danny's eyes focused on him. He could have laughed with relief. "Daniel…" His voice chocked; unable to believe Danny was in his arms and still breathing. The young half ghost looked as if he was clinging on to his life, but just barely. Vlad was just about to take him away from this nightmare when something shot at his back. After letting out a shout of pain, he gingerly placed Danny back down on the table and turned around to face his foe.

There stood Maddie, a ghost weapon in her hands aimed at Vlad. Vlad felt his rage sweep back into him and bared his fangs at her, his eyes glowing a vicious red. For a moment, he wanted to pretend he was in shock at what Maddie had done to Danny, but truthfully, he wasn't. He knew she was a ghost hunter and a cruel one at that, just like Jack. He had thought she was just a bit more sensible. Now that Vlad had a few seconds to reflect, he was happy he didn't have a chance with her back in college. This was a side to her that he didn't think he could stomach.

"How could you?" Vlad hissed at her, unable to help himself from asking. "He's just a boy!"

"He's a ghost," Maddie responded heartlessly. "And he should have thought about that before he took our son away."

"What in the blazes are you talking about?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" She took a few shots at Vlad, who easily dodged it. Tossing her gun aside, she took out a laser stick in her pocket and attempted to fight Vlad. Vlad, too wrapped up in his rage, hit Maddie with one of his ecto blasts and watched as she slammed against the wall. She let out a shout of pain and attempted to get up. Not giving her the chance, he swiftly lifted her up by gripping her throat, pinning the woman to the wall.

"Actually my dear, you do! Now, explain!" He demanded roughly, squeezing her throat enough to make it difficult for her to breathe. He couldn't believe he was hurting Maddie, it blew his mind, but after seeing how she heartlessly hurt his Danny…

"That ghost took our son away 3 years ago. We came home one day and he was floating in our kitchen. We tried to take him out, but then he had the nerve to switch his form to look like _our son_ and say he was Danny! Well, we didn't fall for it. We've spent years trying to learn how he could make himself look so human and life-like, but no luck. Don't worry though, we'll find out soon so ghosts like you can't use the same trick!" Maddie explained, her eyes cold and hard.

What she said started to make sense to Vlad. He clenched his teeth in anger, even more infuriated than before. "You utter _fool_," he hissed. The accident Danny referred to must've been the same one that Vlad had when he was in college. He also didn't doubt it was Jack Fenton's fault. It broke Vlad's heart and revolted him to know that Maddie, sweet Madeline, would do something so cruel to _her own son_. Perhaps there was still a chance to salvage this? He thought it was worth a try. "That _is_ your son!"

Maddie scoffed. "That isn't our son! Our little boy wasn't a _ghost_."

"He wasn't born as one, no, but I have no doubt that an accident made him the way he is! Don't you see? That's why he's still able to be human! He's a hybrid!" _Just like me_, Vlad thought, but was glad he didn't voice it out.

Maddie spared a glance at Danny, who was on the table, whimpering in pain. Her expression hadn't changed. "Liar. That thing can never be our son."

Vlad closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I gave you a chance." His tone became eerily calm before he tightened his hold on her throat, chocking her. "You've lost your privilege. Never again will you see Danny. If I ever catch you within so much as 100 feet from him, I will _**kill**__**you**_." When she was desperately clawing at his arms and trying to get a single gulp of air, he released her. She collapsed on the floor, coughing and trying to regain some air into her burning lungs. Waiting until she recovered enough, he knocked her out.

That was when the door burst open and the Guys in White stepped in, armed and ready. "Hey! You there! Stop!" They shouted.

Vlad felt no remorse as he killed them. There was no doubt in his mind that they had done cruel experiments on Danny as well. Remembering Jack, he flew over to the man in the next room. Jack was still struggling and trying to break the bonds. Vlad contemplated killing him but thought against it. If Danny really wanted Maddie and Jack dead as revenge, he could always find and kill them. He was tempted to just kill them on the spot, despite what Danny might say. Perhaps Danny lost any attachment he once had for them a while ago, but Vlad wasn't too sure. He couldn't risk it. Instead, he made his way back to Danny and gingerly picked him up from the bloodied table. It was going to be a long flight home. With that thought, he phased them out of this nightmare, Vlad flying as fast as he could to take them home.

**AN: Hope you guys liked it ^^ **


	12. The Honest Truth

**AN: THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE REVIEWED! I greatly appreciate them! They've been very inspiring. So, here's another chapter that's been beta'd by my lovely friend, Raininglullaby. Go check out her work! She's wonderful at writing.**

Danny stirred awake. When he opened his eyes, he was relieved to note they weren't burning in pain. Then again, he was in a dark room. Oh, had they put him back in his cage? Danny searched his memory to recall the last thing he saw. He remembered seeing glowing red eyes, but that was about it. Maddie's goggles were red, maybe she made them glow too? Hmm…had they made his cage bigger? Before, he was never able to just lie out, given the space he was provided with. Another thing he noticed that felt off was that something soft and silky was covering him. Realization hit him like a ton of bricks when he concluded he was lying on a soft bed.

He's dead. That was the only explanation. His mother had taken it too far and just killed him. Danny smiled, relieved, but something didn't sit right with him. He couldn't be dead, could he? He certainly felt _alive_. The room was too dark to really recognize his surrounding, but it definitely wasn't a hospital room. Letting out a slight groan, he tried to move his body so he could get up and take a look around. That was a mistake. The minute he sat up, he collapsed onto the bed and passed out.

Vlad walked into the room past midnight to check up on Danny. The younger halfa was still asleep. Smiling weakly, Vlad made his way towards Danny, petting the soft hair when he got close enough. The injuries Maddie had given Danny took a while to clean and wrap up but Vlad had a doctor come over and treat Danny the best he could. Fortunately, the doctor didn't question the wounds and just did his job. After, Vlad made sure to switch bandages when needed and have the medications ready for when Danny wakes up. Sighing deeply, Vlad took a seat beside Danny and hoped he would wake soon. They had a lot to talk about.

When Danny woke up, he was actually surprised and relieved to see Vlad. The ghosts and Guys in White hadn't harmed him. Vlad was staring at the window, absentmindedly petting Danny's hair. It was still dark out. Danny wondered if he was dead or dreaming. He couldn't tell. Whichever it was, he didn't want it to end. Maybe he finally lost his mind and the scenery before him was just his imagination. If that were true, Danny would accept it. Anything was better than the cruel reality he was probably still in. Tied up and bound, his body being injected with whatever they wanted to test out or cutting open his chest and legs.

"Vlad?" Danny whispered the name hoarsely.

Vlad looked down, startled. His surprise changed into a warm and affectionate smile as he cupped Danny's cheek. "Daniel...You're okay." He whispered, relieved. His heart swelled with happiness; taking away some of the bitterness it had to withstand knowing who it was that had tortured Danny for three years. Somehow, he had to make it right for Danny.

"Am I dead?"

Vlad chuckled lightly at the question. "No, you're alive; wonderfully alive." He caressed Danny's cheek. The younger man still looked confused. Vlad bit his lower lip, uncharacteristically nervous. "Daniel, do you remember that ghost you encountered when you came back here?"

Danny remembered. How could he forget that vampire looking ghost? He nodded. "D-did he hurt you?" Danny asked. It hurt to talk. Thankfully, Vlad got up to get him a glass of water. Danny blushed in embarrassment when Vlad helped him drink it, since he couldn't move on his own without succumbing to immense pain, but the cool relief on his burning throat was worth it. Vlad then gave him some pills to swallow and he felt a bit better.

Vlad tried to think of how to go about this. "Well, looks like we both had secrets we were too scared to voice." He put the empty glass away and resumed his position on the bed next to Danny. Danny still looked confused, so Vlad decided to just outright say it. "I am also half ghost, Daniel. Just like you."

Danny stared at the man in disbelief. When black rings circled throughout Vlad's body and he saw the ghost he had attacked when he came back to search for Vlad, he let out a surprised gasp. Vlad transformed back to his human self, still looking nervous as he waited for Danny's reaction. Danny swallowed. He wasn't the only one? How was that even possible? A million questions swarmed through Danny's mind and he tried to calm down; it was hurting his head to think so much. "How…?" He croaked out.

Vlad's body released some tension and anxiousness it had, glad Danny was taking the news well. "An accident with your idiot father." He noticed Danny flinch. "Almost twenty years ago, when we were students in college, your parents and I were making the first ghost portal and it back fired on us. My face got the full of the blast and I became a half ghost. I'm assuming you've had a similar experience?"

Still amazed, Danny nodded. "They made a ghost portal and I went in to see why it wasn't working, since my … my…" He cringed at the thought of calling them his _parents_, but that was what they are. "Since they were disappointed it wasn't working. I clicked the 'on' switch that was inside and the next thing I know… I gained ghost powers." He paused. He was surprised to know that Vlad and his parents went to the same college. It was a bit strange, but made sense when he thought about it. He looked into Vlad's eyes. "How did you know it was me?"

Vlad grinned fondly down at Danny. "Your insistence on knowing where I was when you attacked me in my ghost form was a bit of a hint. I was quite flattered." He teased.

Danny blushed and looked away from the man's teasing smile. "Yeah, well, I didn't know it was _you_…" he mumbled defensively. "Why did _you_ keep it a secret from me?"

"I didn't want to alarm you." Vlad answered honestly.

Danny had no response to that. "What happened?" he asked finally, unaware that Vlad had been waiting for this question. "How did we get out?"

It wasn't difficult to explain what happened, but Vlad didn't want Danny to know the details. He settled for a simple explanation. "I rescued you. I followed the Guys in White to their base." He didn't think it was necessary to add in that he had sent some ghosts who owed him favors to completely destroy the base. He ordered them to not harm Jack and Maddie. According to one of the ghosts, by the time they got there, Jack and Maddie were gone. Vlad later found out they returned to their home in Amity Park. Danny's small voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"What happened to … to…"

"The Guys in White are dead, and your parents are safe."

"Oh…" Danny at least didn't look disappointed, nor did he look relieved.

It was quiet for a moment after that. Neither knew what to say. Vlad was glad Danny wasn't asking for more details, but he needed to know something. "Daniel…What happened? How did your parents find out about you? How did all this start? Please be honest with me." He wanted Danny's perspective.

Danny didn't want to explain. If he could, he would simply ask to be left alone and that's it. However, he owed Vlad the truth. After all, the man did rescue him, twice now. The fact that Vlad killed the Guys in White but spared his parents hadn't sunk in yet. "When the accident happened, I kept it a secret from my parents," he cringed, still having a hard time saying that those people were his parents. "And my sister, Jazz. Jazz found out a year later and insisted I tell them. I still kept it a secret. Well, one day, I was really, really tired after a fight with a ghost and came home. Some stupid ghost appeared in my living room and I had to take it out. Mom walked in with dad just as I went to the kitchen to switch back to my human half. So I tried to explain to them that it was me, that I was their son…" His eyes became moist as he continued.

"They didn't take it well. They immediately went to get their weapons and attacked me. T-they were my parents! I couldn't fight back! I-I tried to escape, b-but…" He clenched his eyes closed, struggling to keep his voice from wavering. Vlad wrapped his arms comfortingly and securely around Danny. "D-Dad caught me with one of his ghost nets. They demanded to know what I had done to _their_ son. I told them I was Danny. I begged them to understand. They didn't. They took me to their lab and tortured me, still demanding to know what happened to their son. Jazz came bursting through the lab a few hours later. I guess she figured out what happened when she didn't spot any of us at home. She begged for them to stop, to believe me, but they said I had manipulated her. I don't know what happened after that. I never saw Jazz again."

Danny needed to take a breather. It was hard to talk about what happened, but felt slightly better for getting it out there, especially when Vlad was listening intently to him. He continued, dully. "They did experiments and stuff on me for a few months and then the Guys in White came busting through the door. They said what they were doing was illegal and that I should be turned into them. They put up a fight and eventually my parents and the Guys in White worked out a deal. The Guys in White took me to their lab, where they would alternate experimenting or torturing me. Whatever they felt like doing. The Guys in White had a bit more fun torturing me while my parents experimented on me. The rest you can figure out."

Vlad's heart broke as he listened to Danny's story. He hugged him tightly to him, wishing he could take away all the pain. No wonder Danny didn't have faith anymore; if he couldn't trust his parents, who was left to trust? He wondered what happened to his sister and figured he would look into it later. Right now, he needed to be here and comfort Danny. It still hurt him to know that Jack and Maddie would do this to their own son. He was more disappointed with Maddie. Regardless of what they thought, they should have loved Danny. They should have believed their son; not torture the poor boy to near death. He pulled back to brush his lips on Danny's forehead. The younger halfa shivered in his arms.

The sun was starting to creep up. Danny could see the light reflected on his sheets start to rise. He fought to keep sleep at bay, but was struggling. He barely heard Vlad's voice.

"Why don't you rest? I'll be here."

Not needing to be told twice, he closed his eyes, mumbling, "Don't leave me," before drifting off to sleep.

Touched, Vlad held Danny close to him. "Never," He breathed, knowing Danny couldn't hear him. He was never going to let Danny go ever again.

Danny slept the entire day. Vlad only got up to use the bathroom, shower, and take care of the wounds left on Danny's body from Maddie. Food was brought to him by a maid since Vlad had no intention of leaving Danny's side. It wasn't until the evening that Danny woke up with a frightened scream. Figuring the younger halfa had a nightmare, Vlad immediately comforted him. When Danny's breathing finally became normal, he was able to realize it was Vlad who was holding him.

"Vlad?" Danny called, confused. Everything still felt so surreal.

"Yes Little Badger?" Vlad's voice was calm and soothing.

Danny stared at Vlad before settling back into the man's embrace. "So it wasn't a dream? We really talked last night? And you…you saved me?"

Smiling, Vlad nodded. Danny couldn't see Vlad's nod since he had his face buried in the man's chest. "You're safe now, Little Badger. I've got you."

"What now?" Danny asked hesitantly. He didn't know where they go from here. Did he still need to run? His parents were still out there. They would probably want to capture him again, but at least they didn't have the Guys in White to support and help them. And what about Vlad? Now that the older man knew his secret, would he cast him aside?

Seeing the discomfort in Danny, Vlad tried to console him. "Now we focus on you getting better." He started gently. "My offer still stands, Daniel. I want you to remain with me. Live here with me. I'll take care of you."

"Can I go if I still want to?"

Disappointment shot through Vlad. He couldn't help but hope Danny wouldn't ask that question. Hadn't he proven himself worthy of taking care of Danny? Why did he still want to run? He was safe now, or perhaps Danny didn't believe him? Or…he didn't want to be with Vlad. Has his ghost form only created a rift between them instead of something to bond over? Or was Vlad simply not good enough for Danny? "If that is what you wish, then yes. You may leave whenever you like." He answered dully, depressed. Danny didn't want him…

Surprised to hear the sadness from Vlad's voice, Danny looked up at the man. He let out a gasp at the utter heartbroken look from the man. "I-I want to stay!" He said quickly, wanting to wipe away that look from the man's face.

"Really?" Hope bloomed in Vlad's chest.

Danny nodded firmly. "Yeah, I do."

Grinning with relief, Vlad hugged Danny, mindful not to squeeze too hard otherwise he'd harm the little halfa. "That's wonderful news, Little Badger."

It took a few days for Danny to feel well enough to get up and move about. His body still ached, but Vlad helped him. The medicine he was given numbed the pain and his ghost powers helped in his healing process. Vlad patiently took care of him. Danny reflected on the fact that he was free. He couldn't believe it. He never thought this day would come. Although he was still a little nervous that his parents were out there, Vlad assured him that they wouldn't go near him. It was a bit reassuring to hear that and he decided to trust Vlad. If he said his parents would never go near him again, then Danny believed it.

They took a walk in Vlad's garden. It felt so good to be out and actually _enjoy_ himself. Danny couldn't even remember the last time he did something so simple, yet meaningful. He had longed for this moment for years. As they walked, Vlad slipped his hand into Danny's, surprising the raven haired boy. Danny searched for some sort of sign from Vlad but the man had on his best poker face. Blushing, he knew they still had something to discuss…

"Hey Vlad…"

"Yes Daniel?"

Danny bit his lower lip and tried to conceal his blush. "A-About that night I left…" He trailed off, wondering if Vlad even remembered. If he didn't, he sure as hell wasn't going to bring it up.

Vlad smiled, and Danny instantly knew he remembered. "What about it?"

"Well…t-that kiss…I, um, I…" he trailed off, wincing. How was he going to explain _that_?

Vlad continued to smile, amused at Danny's attempt to discuss the topic on both their minds. It was a memory Vlad wished to never forget. He stopped their walk and gently pulled Danny towards him to face him. Danny shyly looked down, unable to meet the man's eyes. Gently, Vlad placed his finger under Danny's chin and lifted his head so they could look directly at each other.

"What about the kiss?" Vlad asked gently, encouragingly.

"I…" Biting his lower lip, Danny looked away. He couldn't do it.

"You…?"

Danny decided to do the next best thing: he babbled. "I didn't mean, I mean, it did mean something to me, and I thought I'd never see you again. Well, at least not for a long time and I know I did it without thinking, I mean, that's not what I'm trying to say. I _did_ think about kissing you before, but I didn't think I would, or should have, not that it matters because I did it already and I-I,"

Taking pity on Danny, Vlad slowly inched his face towards him. When he received no attempts to stop him, he pressed his lips onto Danny's. This kiss wasn't like the previous one; it was just as warm as the one before, but not desperate; not a kiss goodbye. This was a welcoming kiss that reduced Danny to a pile of goo. Vlad held onto Danny as they kissed, pouring his love and heart into it. When they pulled away, Vlad felt prideful that he caused Danny's dazed look. Unable to resist, he pulled Danny into another kiss, his heart racing when Danny finally responded.

When they finally pulled apart, Vlad happily pressed a kiss on the crook of Danny's neck. Smiling, Danny hugged Vlad to him. It would take some time to get used to the affectionate touches, but he could do it. Vlad promised he would do everything he could to keep Danny happy, and that was something that made Danny content. He was finally going to give Vlad that chance the man had begged for, but this time, there was no time limit. Vlad promised he could go at Danny's pace and knew they had a long journey of recovery ahead of them. As long as they were together, they knew it would be okay.

**AN: This isn't the end, HOWEVER, I have written out the last chapter. Now, here's the thing: My beta wants me to continue this story and expand more on Danny's life after he's escaped from all that he's endured. It would definitely expand this fic and keep it going quite a few more chapters. Probably a good 5-10 more. … possibly more than that. I was simply going to make the next chapter the epilogue. SO! **

**I'll be having a poll. Who wants me to continue this and expand the fic, and who thinks just an epilogue will be fine? Whichever I get the most of, I'll do. Thanks for reading and taking the time to review! **


	13. Epilogue

**AN: I apologize that I did not extend this story like so many of you requested. Unfortunately, I ran out of ideas. I'm working on other stuff so I lost my earlier excitement for this story :/ I hope you guys can still enjoy this chapter. Thank you all who took the time to review :) **

Danny walked into the castle, tossing his backpack carelessly aside at the front entrance. "Vlad?" he called out, not receiving a response. Figuring where his partner might be, he transformed to Danny Phantom and flew into Vlad's study room. Spotting the man, he grinned and descended onto the floor. He made his way towards Vlad, who looked up from his paperwork when he heard Danny's footsteps and smiled warmly at the younger halfa, which always made Danny's heart skip a beat and a pleasant rush race through him.

"Daniel! You're home early." He looked at the time. "I wasn't expecting you for another few hours."

Danny transformed back to his human half and stood beside Vlad. Vlad pulled back from his desk and pulled Danny onto his lap. Danny straddled Vlad's thighs, smiling when Vlad placed his hands on slim hips possessively. "Sam said she had some stuff she had to take care of and had to cut the visit short. Tucker and I are gonna go see her next weekend, when she's free."

"I see. Well, more time for us to be together." He pulled Danny into a kiss, which Danny happily responded to, slipping his tongue past parted lips, electing a sensual and surprised moan from the older man. Danny was still sometimes shy, and Vlad loved it when Danny would initiate the intimacy between them. Grinning broadly, Danny pulled back.

"Vlad, aren't you tired of seeing me yet? I live with you! We spend a lot of time together already!"

Vlad looked affronted. "Hardly, Little Badger. After all, there is the fact that you go to school and visit your friends every now and again. Not to mention the times I have to go to work to make sure my businesses are running smoothly." He said with a pout. "And don't get me started when you go play hero for everyone."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Fruitloop," he said affectionately, pressing his forehead to Vlad's. Vlad smiled, not minding the nickname when it was said so lovingly.

Three years have passed since that faithful day Vlad encountered Danny and took him home. Danny's body, after much physical therapy and help from the doctor's, has fully recovered. There were still some scars, a painful reminder of how he had spent his previous years, but it was okay. Vlad made sure Danny felt both precious and treasured. Vlad even went as far as locating Sam and Tucker. They had been thrilled to see Danny; and instantly welcomed him and rekindled their short lived friendship. A year after living with Vlad, when Danny was assured that he was safe from danger, he asked for a private tutor so he could catch up on the studies that were taken away from him. Vlad hired the best tutor and Danny was able to send his application to the Wisconsin University, which accepted him. It had been odd for Danny to be surrounded by people, but Vlad helped him through it all.

The nightmares still occurred. Sometimes Danny would wake up thinking this was all a dream; that he was still locked up and being taken to be experimented on and tortured. On those days, he would revert back to his former self and want to hide away from the world. Vlad made sure to never leave Danny's side during those times and would comfort him until Danny would believe that yes, this is real, he was safe and here with Vlad. Another thing that never truly went way, was that Danny would still sometimes jump when he spotted a shadow near him, but he was slowly getting better. He gained a little confidence back over the years, especially when Vlad trained him and help him with his ghost powers. He almost felt completely normal; well, as normal as he could feel.

"I have another surprise for you," Vlad said suddenly.

"Oh?" Danny asked with a grin. Vlad always had nice surprises for Danny. "What is it this time?"

"You'll see tomorrow. Do you have any homework?"

"I did it all while I was at Sam's."

"Did you? Well, give me a few minutes to finish this paperwork and I'm all yours."

"Sure." Danny removed himself from Vlad's lap and grabbed a chair to sit by his lover. Vlad, smiling, went back to his paper work, trying to finish as soon as possible.

Vlad hoped Danny would like his surprise. It was a lot of hard work on his part, which was more than he had anticipated, but worth it. It always surprised him how far he would go to make Danny smile. It took a long time for Danny to get comfortable with him, but Vlad took all the challenges in stride. Danny made it all worth it. Sometimes Danny would get frustrated and beg Vlad to know what he could do to return all the favors done to him. Vlad always declined the offer because Danny had no idea that his presence was what Vlad considered repayment. Danny kept Vlad happy; whether he was aware of it or not. All the hugs, all the kisses, all the affection Danny gave him warmed his once ice cold heart. Twenty years of loneliness melted away by this young man who stumbled unexpectedly into his life.

They sat in comfortable silence. Danny patiently waited for Vlad to finish his paper work. Finally, Vlad signed his name on one last document before hurriedly putting the paperwork away. They stood up and made their way out of the castle, deciding to go for a walk. Vlad encircled his arm around Danny's waist and kept him close as they strolled leisurely. As they walked, Danny breathed in the fresh air; feeling as if he could never get tired of it. Freedom was a great thing. He often wondered what happened to his parents, but never went to find out. Somehow, he felt it was better to not know.

"So how are your little friends doing?" Vlad asked conversationally.

"Great. I told them my secret."

This surprised Vlad. "How did they take it?"

Danny grinned. "They were pretty cool with it. They even asked if I could take them flying, so we spent some time doing that. They even offered to help me fight ghosts if I needed it."

"Hmph. Isn't that what you have me for?"

"I don't think the ghost zone would appreciate it if Danny Phantom and Plasmius teamed up."

Vlad scoffed. "As if I care what they think."

Danny laughed in response. They walked silently for a bit before Danny playfully bumped his hip to Vlad's. "Sooo what's my surprise?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise, now would it, dear?"

Danny pouted. "I can still act surprised if it makes you feel better," he responded cheekily.

"Nice try."

"Aw, come on. I can do a sexual favor for you in exchange?"

It took a second for what Danny said to sink in. When it did, Vlad laughed. "Daniel!"

"What?" He playfully bumped their hips together again, hoping Vlad would cave.

"You'll just have to be patient, Little Badger."

Danny let out a pretend annoyed huff. "You're no fun."

"I can be plenty fun. I'll prove it to you tonight." He purred into Danny's ear. A pleasant shiver went up Danny's spine. He loved it when Vlad would lower his voice so huskily. It never failed to arouse him.

"Why wait then?" Danny grabbed onto Vlad's hand, transformed into his ghost half, and took them home, Vlad grinning along the way.

The next morning, Danny woke up to an empty bed. He groaned in annoyance. It was Saturday, which meant they would stay in bed a little longer than they would during the weekdays. Why Vlad was already out of bed, Danny did not know. Just when he was about to get up and search for his lover, Vlad came out of their bathroom, showered and fully dressed. The silver haired man made his way towards Danny and pressed a kiss on his lips.

"Good morning. Get up and get dressed; your surprise is waiting for you downstairs."

Danny was instantly wide awake. "Really? What is it?" he sat up from the bed.

"Come downstairs and you'll see."

Danny hopped off the bed in excitement and quickly got ready. Vlad smiled as he watched his Little Badger finish putting on his clothes. He hoped this would go over smoothly. He wasn't sure what would happen and that worried him. Danny excitedly followed Vlad down the stairs and into the living room. Practically bouncing in excitement, Danny wondered what his surprise is. When they made further into the living room, he stopped short when he noticed someone sitting on the couch. He gawked in surprise when he realized just _who_ was sitting there.

"J-Jazz?" he chocked out.

The red haired whipped her head towards the direction of Danny's voice. She stared at him for a moment before slowly standing up. "Danny?" she asked, eyes tearing up. Danny could only nod numbly. "Danny!" she ran over to him and they hugged. "It's you! It's really you! You're okay!" she sobbed, clutching onto her brother.

A little dazed, Danny hugged his sister. He looked over at Vlad, who was silently watching them. Vlad offered a small smile and then mouthed the word 'surprise'. Still in shock, Danny returned his attention to his sister. "J-Jazz? How…? I thought you left?"

Jazz held onto Danny. "Oh Danny! I tried; I tried so hard to help you. I tried to get past mom and dad but they wouldn't let me near you! They locked the door and put up security codes so I couldn't get in! It was awful! I tried to get help but there was nothing I could do without someone taking you away. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, I couldn't take it anymore. I ran away. When I finally got the courage to try again to help you, it was too late! You'd been moved! I searched _everywhere_ for you. I'm so sorry I left you, I'm so sorry I gave you that stupid idea to tell mom and dad! I-If I-I hadn't…" she chocked up, sobbing into her brother's arms. "I'm s-such a bad sister! I'm so sorry…"

Danny smiled and hugged his sister reassuringly. "It's okay." He said simply. He didn't blame his sister. After all, at the time, she was only 17. What could she possible have done? It warmed him to know his sister still cared for him and had tried looking for him. "It's okay." He repeated. "You're not a bad sister. Besides, Vlad took care of me."

Sniffling, Jazz pulled away and gave a watery smile. "I couldn't believe it when Vlad called me, asking questions about you. I thought he was trying to locate you so he could…" She trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. "But then he told me he found you and that you were safe! He offered to pay for my plane ride so that I could see you." She explained, pulling her brother into another hug. "I'm so glad to see you! I'm so glad you're alive! I-I thought…"

"I'm fine, Jazz." He looked fondly over to Vlad. "Thanks…" He said sincerely.

Vlad merely smiled. "Anything for you, Little Badger."

Jazz pulled away and turned to Vlad. "Thank you so much Mr. Masters. I don't know how I could ever repay you for taking care of Danny."

"It was my pleasure, Jasmine. I'll leave you two alone to catch up. I have some affairs I need to take care of," he said smoothly, swooping in to kiss Danny's cheek. Danny looked lovingly at Vlad before the man walked away to give the siblings time to enjoy their reunion.

Danny spent the entire day with Jazz. They caught up with each other's lives. He didn't tell Jazz all the horrors he had to endure, she already felt immensely guilty for what happened, even though it wasn't her fault. He didn't want to add to her guilt. He contently listened about her life so far, his heart aching slightly to know how miserable she was and how hard she had searched for her missing brother. It was nice, however, to know how much he was loved by her. They both felt as if they had lost their parents. She mentioned how they had tried to convince her to come back to them, but she refused. She just couldn't find it in her to forgive them. They missed their parents and missed when they were one big happy family, but accepted the reality of things and made the best of it.

Danny was thrilled to know Jazz would be spending the entire week at the castle before she would have to return to her home in Amity Park. Danny commented on how that worked out just fine since she was close by Sam and Tucker, so he could visit all three of them.

Vlad joined them for dinner and was surprised when Jazz interrogated him about his feelings for Danny. Danny was embarrassed at his over-protective sister's actions, but Vlad was fine with it. He calmly answered her questions and apparently proved his worth under her eyes. When it was time to retreat to their bedrooms for the night, Jazz was lead to her own personal guest room that wasn't too far from their own bedroom. Once Danny and Vlad went into their room, Danny immediately tackled Vlad onto the bed and kissed him with pent up fervor.

"I love you," Danny declared breathlessly, going in for another kiss.

Vlad clutched onto Danny, wrapping one arm around the younger's waist while the other hand went through the raven hair. "I love you too, Little Badger."

"That was a really nice surprise. Thank you. I never thought I'd see my sister again."

Vlad smiled. "You're quite welcome."

"Keep up with the surprises, and I might decide I want to stay here forever." Danny said with a playful grin.

Vlad chuckled. "That's the idea."

Danny looked up in surprise. He stared into Vlad's blue eyes and smiled. "Really? You don't want to get rid of me yet?"

"Get rid of you? After all the trouble I went through just to keep you?" he joked and then became serious. "No, Daniel, I never want you to leave me. I want you by my side, always."

Floored, Danny kissed Vlad; their tongues coming out to play. Danny smiled into the kiss. Vlad nipped at Danny's lower lip before he pulled away. They snuggled close, Danny resting his head on Vlad's muscular chest, Vlad's arms wrapped securely around him.

The past three years could not remove Danny's memories from the horrors he had to endure, but it certainly was the best three years of his life; way better than the previous three prior to that. Vlad kept him safe, protected, happy, and loved. He had lost faith in humanity and the idea of love and safety until Vlad entered his life. Before Vlad, he had nothing to look forward to. Vlad had given him hope and a future where he could live as normal as possible and happily, as long as Vlad was by his side. In turn, Danny provided Vlad with the love, adoration, and affection he deserved.

Vlad's heartbeat lulled Danny to sleep. Vlad joining after him, a content smile on both their faces as they thought of the future they both now had to look forward to.

**End**

**AN: Thanks to my awesome beta Raininglullaby! And thanks for all of you who reviewed :) **


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